The Football Association have charged Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur after the Uruguayan made a racist remark about South Korean people when talking about his teammate Son Heung-min during a television appearance.
Bentancur, 27, has until Sept. 19 to respond to the charge.
Rodrigo Bentancur charge
Tottenham midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur has been charged by the Football Association (FA) for saying that all South Korean people "look the same" during a television appearance.
In a clip posted on social media from Uruguayan Television programme Por La Camiseta, host Rafa Cotelo… pic.twitter.com/P254l4UdLl— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) September 12, 2024
| Rodrigo Bentancur charged by FA for alleged breach of FA Rule E3 for misconduct in a media interview.
Could be a 'hefty potential ban' between 6-12 games for the Spurs midfielder if his charge is upheld, reports @AlasdairGold. pic.twitter.com/KiLU2zWDbz— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) September 12, 2024
Earlier in June, Bentancur apologized after his comments were met with disapproval and Son accepted his apology, "Lolo would not mean to ever intentionally say something offensive. We are brothers and nothing has changed at all," Son said.
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: "It could be Sonny's cousin too as they all look the same."
"It's alleged that the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder acted in an improper manner and/or used abusive and/or insulting words and/or brought into disrepute," the governing body said in a statement on Thursday.
The FA added that Bentancur's comments were an "aggravated breach... as it included a reference, whether express or implied, to nationality and/or race and/or ethnic origin."
(Reporting by Shifa Jahan in Bengaluru, Editing by Toby Davis)
