Rodrigo Bentancur Banned for Seven Matches Over Racial Slur

Rodrigo Bentancur has received a seven-match domestic ban from the Football Association (FA) for using a racial slur about his teammate Son Heung-min. The FA also fined Bentancur £100,000 and required him to attend a mandatory education program. The charges stem from comments Bentancur made in a June interview in his home country of Uruguay which the FA classified as an “aggravated breach” of its anti-racism rules.

Bentancur made the comment in response to a question about a Tottenham shirt, saying, “Sonny’s? It could be Sonny’s cousin too as they all look the same.” He later apologized, calling it a “very bad joke” and expressing regret to Son, who accepted the apology. The FA charged Bentancur with misconduct in September and despite his defense that the comment was sarcastic and directed at a journalist’s description of Son, the regulatory commission found his words abusive and insulting.

The ban means Rodrigo Bentancur will miss key Premier League games including matches against Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea along with a League Cup quarter-final against Manchester United. However, he will remain available for Tottenham’s Europa League fixtures. Bentancur’s defense argued that he did not intend to offend and that he made the comment in response to the journalist calling Son “the Korean.”

However, the panel ruled that his actions were inappropriate and his apology showed he acknowledged the harm caused. The decision received support from the anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out which emphasized the impact of such remarks on East and Southeast Asian communities. Fans have expressed mixed opinions on the punishment. Some believe it is too harsh while others think the sanction is a necessary response to racism in football.