Tottenham stance emerges amid rival shock at Rodrigo Bentancur racism ban
Rodrigo Bentancur’s seven-match ban for a racist remark has caused bewilderment and frustration at Tottenham, according to The Telegraph.
Bentancur received a seven-match ban and a £100,000 fine after making a comment in a YouTube interview in Uruguay, where he suggested that Son Heung-min resembled other South Koreans to the point of being indistinguishable.
The club have not commented on the punishment and are currently considering their next steps – they have the right to appeal.
Spurs’ Premier League rivals have also been left “shocked” over the severity of the punishment, with some pointing to perceived inconsistencies in the FA’s approach to similar incidents involving other players, such as Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez and Manchester City’s Rodri.
Due to the timing of the incidents, only Bentancur has been banned by the FA.
Tottenham rivals shocked by Bentancur racism ban
Football Insider opinion
Fernandez who has captained Chelsea was accused of making racist and homophobic remarks about the French national team during Argentina’s international duty earlier this year, which The Guardian subsequently reported he was expected to be fined by his club for.
The World Cup-winner was with his national team at the Copa America when that incident occurred, therefore the FA said it fell under the jurisdiction of Fifa to deal with the incident.
The FA pursued a case against Bentancur for his comments as the interview, conducted “on his own time,” fell under their jurisdiction, given his status as an active participant in English football.
Rodri and Alvaro Morata received one-match bans from UEFA for chanting “Gibraltar is Spanish” during celebrations in Madrid after Spain’s Euro 2024 final victory against England.
This comparatively light punishment has left many Tottenham feeling frustrated and bewildered when contrasted with the lengthier ban handed to Rodrigo Bentancur.
It can be argued that the inconsistency highlights a lack of clarity in how governing bodies address such incidents, fuelling the perception that Bentancur has been disproportionately penalised in comparison to others facing similar allegations.
In other news, Tottenham will demand “huge” money to sell Cristian Romero.
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