Tottenham Hotspur have appealed the seven-game domestic ban handed to Rodrigo Bentancur for a racist comment about teammate Heung-min Son.
The midfielder, who also received a £100,000 fine and was ordered to attend a face-to-face education programme, is banned from domestic matches until December 26.
While accepting the independent regulatory commission’s guilty verdict, Spurs are contesting the length of the suspension.
Bentancur was charged by the Football Association (FA) in September for comments made during a June interview in Uruguay, where he described Son in a manner the FA deemed an ‘aggravated breach of rule E3 due to its reference to nationality or race.
The incident occurred when Bentancur, asked for a Tottenham shirt by a television presenter, joked, “Sonny’s? It could be Sonny’s cousin, too, as they all look the same.”
The Uruguay international later apologised on social media, calling the remark a ‘very bad joke’ and expressing regret for any offence caused. Son reportedly accepted the apology, stating Bentancur would never intentionally offend him.
Despite the player’s remorse, the regulatory commission ruled the comment as ‘abusive and insulting’, stating it fell within the lower range of the FA’s 6-12 match ban guideline for such breaches.
The commission acknowledged Bentancur’s clean disciplinary record, intent to avoid offence, and apparent remorse but rejected the defence’s claim that the remark was sarcastic and aimed at challenging the journalist’s earlier description of Son as ‘the Korean’.
The panel highlighted inconsistencies between Bentancur’s apology and his defence, concluding that Spurs and the player had implicitly acknowledged the comment’s discriminatory nature.
They dismissed Spurs’ argument that the reporting of the interview misrepresented Bentancur’s intent, stating the remark itself constituted misconduct.
While Bentancur will remain available for Europa League fixtures, his suspension sidelines him for key domestic matches, including those against Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea, as well as a League Cup quarter-final against Manchester United.
Spurs maintain their stance that the ban is excessive and have lodged an appeal, which will determine whether the punishment is adjusted.
The FA emphasised the need for robust sanctions in cases involving discriminatory remarks, noting that such actions undermine the sport’s integrity and inclusivity. The appeal process remains ongoing.
