Rodrigo Bentancur handed huge ban over alleged racist remark towards team-mate as FA release statement
Tottenham star Rodrigo Bentancur has been banned for seven matches by the FA over an alleged racist remark about team-mate Son Heung-min during an interview.
The Uruguay midfielder was charged by the FA with alleged misconduct over the remark, which was made in an interview with local station Canal 10 in July.
Son confirmed that Bentancur apologised to him privately, with the midfielder also posting a public apology to his Instagram page.
Last week, it was reported that Spurs were braced for the 27-year-old to receive a seven-match ban, which would see him miss crucial matches against Manchester City, Liverpool and a Carabao Cup quarter-final against Manchester United.
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The FA have now confirmed that Bentancur has been banned for those seven matches and fined £100,000.
They state that Bentancur denied the charge against him, but an Independent Regulatory Commission found it to be proven and imposed the sanction.
The statement reads: "It was alleged that the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder breached FA Rule E3.1 as he 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', which is defined in FA Rule E3.2, as it included a reference - whether express or implied - to nationality and/or race and/or ethnic origin."
The FA have also published their written reasons for the decision, including the full exchange between the Canal 10 TV host and Bentancur for the first time.
"The only part of the interview to which the charges relates is the following translated exchange, which appears to have concerned a request by Mr Cotelo [the host] to see one of the football shirts that the Player had at his home.
"Mr Cotelo: Your shirt, well what about the Korean's shirt?
"The Player: Sonny?
"Mr Cotelo: Or a champion.
"The Player: Or one of Sonny's cousins as they all look more or less the same."
Topics: Tottenham Hotspur, Football
Ryan Smart