Sports
Bentancur Charged by FA Over Racial Slur Aimed at Son Heung-min
Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur has been charged by the Football Association (FA) for making a racial slur about his teammate, Son Heung-min. The incident occurred during an appearance on Uruguayan TV in June when Bentancur was asked by a presenter for a Tottenham shirt. In response, Bentancur replied, “Sonny’s? It could be Sonny’s cousin too as they all look the same,” a remark widely condemned as racially insensitive.
Following backlash, the 27-year-old Uruguay international issued an apology on Instagram, calling his comment a “very bad joke.”
The FA has charged Bentancur with an alleged breach of FA rule E3, accusing him of misconduct for using improper, abusive, or insulting language. The FA’s statement noted that this was an “aggravated breach” as it involved reference to nationality, race, or ethnic origin.
Under FA guidelines, discriminatory acts by individual participants usually result in a match ban ranging from 6 to 12 games. Bentancur has until Thursday, September 19, to respond to the charge.