Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur has been handed a seven-match domestic ban by the Football Association (FA) after using a racial slur directed at teammate Son Heung-min.
Bentancur, who has also been fined £100,000, was charged by the FA in September following comments he made during a television appearance in his home country of Uruguay in June.
“Rodrigo Bentancur denied this charge, but the independent regulatory commission found it to be proven and imposed his sanctions following a hearing,” said an FA statement.
Bentancur, 27, will be unavailable for domestic action until December 26, missing crucial Premier League fixtures against Manchester City, Liverpool, and Chelsea, along with Tottenham’s League Cup quarter-final against Manchester United.
However, the Uruguay international will remain available for Tottenham’s Europa League matches during this period.
The FA charged Bentancur with an alleged breach of Rule E3 for misconduct following a media interview.
The charge stated that the interview included an “aggravated breach,” referencing nationality, race, or ethnic origin, either expressly or impliedly.
Bentancur issued an apology to Son Heung-min, stating that he “would never intentionally say something offensive.”
In the interview, when asked by a presenter for a Tottenham shirt, Bentancur joked, “Sonny’s? It could be Sonny’s cousin too, as they all look the same.”
He later clarified on social media, describing the comment as a “very bad joke.”
Bentancur, who has made 15 appearances for Spurs this season, scored his first goal of the campaign in a 3-2 defeat to Ipswich on November 11.
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