FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Tottenham Hotspur v Ipswich Town - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, Britain - November 10, 2024 Tottenham Hotspur's Rodrigo Bentancur celebrates scoring their first goal REUTERS/Ian Walton/File Photo
(Reuters) -Tottenham Hotspur's Rodrigo Bentancur has been banned for seven matches after the Uruguayan made a racist remark about South Korean people when talking about teammate Son Heung-min during a television appearance, the Football Association said on Monday.
Bentancur had denied the charge, but an independent regulatory commission found it to be proven and imposed the sanctions, which includes a fine of 100,000 pounds ($126,160).
The FA said in a statement the midfielder "acted in an improper manner and/or used abusive and/or insulting words and/or brought the game into disrepute".
"It was further alleged that this constitutes an "aggravated breach"... as it included a reference – whether express or implied – to nationality and/or race and/or ethnic origin," the statement added.
In June, on Uruguayan television programme Por La Camiseta, host Rafa Cotelo asked Bentancur for a Spurs player's shirt, to which he replied, "Sonny's?", adding: "Or one of Sonny’s cousins as they all look more or less the same."
The FA had first charged 27-year-old Bentancur in September, Son said later that month there was no bad feeling between the players. Bentancur apologised to Son in June after the short clip from the TV show was widely circulated online.
"The Player initially showed remorse and took responsibility for his actions and offered full and (we have no doubt) sincere apologies. In our view, that was greatly to his credit," the commission said in its written reasons.
"It was not to his credit that, thereafter, he elected to deny the charge on grounds which, on their face, undermined that initial, commendable reaction."
Bentancur, who played in Uruguay's 3-2 win over Colombia in a 2026 World Cup qualifier on Saturday will still be available for Tottenham's Europa League matches but will not return to domestic action until Dec. 26.
He will miss Premier League games against Manchester City away on Saturday as well as home clashes against Liverpool and Chelsea in December, among others. Bentancur will also miss the League Cup quarter-final against Manchester United.
(Reporting by Shifa Jahan in BengaluruEditing by Christian Radnedge)
