Tottenham midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur has been handed a seven-match domestic ban by the Football Association (FA) for allegedly making a racist remark about his teammate Son Heung-min during a TV interview.

The incident occurred in June when Bentancur, appearing on a show in his native country, made a controversial comment in response to a request for Son Heung-min’s jersey, saying, “Maybe from his cousin, as they all look the same.”

The FA charged the Uruguayan player with an “aggravated breach” of its rules earlier this year. Addressing the situation on social media, Bentancur publicly apologized to Son, calling it a “very bad joke.”

He expressed his regret, saying, “Sonny, brother! I apologize for what happened; it was a terrible joke. You know I love you and would never disrespect or hurt you or anyone else.”

Son Heung-min later spoke about the incident, revealing that Bentancur was close to tears when he apologized.

“Due to the ongoing FA process, I can’t say much about it,” Son commented in September. “But I love Rodrigo. We have shared many great memories since he joined the team. He apologized immediately, even sending me a heartfelt message while we were on holiday. When we returned for pre-season, he was visibly remorseful and nearly cried during his apology, both privately and publicly. We all make mistakes and learn from them.”

The FA has now confirmed Bentancur’s suspension. An FA spokesperson stated, “An independent regulatory commission has imposed a seven-match suspension and a £100,000 fine on Rodrigo Bentancur for breaching FA Rule E3 in relation to a media interview.”

The spokesperson further explained, “It was alleged that Bentancur acted improperly and used abusive or insulting language, bringing the game into disrepute.

“The charge was classified as an ‘aggravated breach’ under FA Rule E3.2, as it included references to nationality, race, or ethnic origin. Although Bentancur denied the charge, the independent Regulatory Commission found it proven and issued the sanctions after a hearing.”