Will I end up being disciplined by the FA? Possible fines and suspension

Will Rodrigo Bentancur (27) pay the price for his indiscretion?
The possibility of him being disciplined by the English Football Association (FA) has been raised for racist remarks he made towards captain Son Heung-min (32, Tottenham Hotspur).

The British Telegraph reported on June 16, 2024, “Bentancur apologized for a racist joke about Tottenham teammate Son Heung-min.
However, he may face an FA investigation for this comment,” the report said.

Bentancur’s racist remarks

Bentancur recently appeared on a Uruguayan broadcast and made racist remarks toward Son Heung-min.
He appeared on the TV program ‘Port La Camiseta’ and said that all Asians, including Son Heung-min, look the same.

At that time, Bentancur was asked by the host to wear a Korean player’s uniform.
In fact, it meant asking for the uniform of Tottenham captain Son Heung-min.

Bentancur also asked, “Soni? (Son Heung-min’s nickname).”
The problem is Bentancur’s next statement.

He burst out laughing, saying, “It could be Son Heung-min’s cousin’s uniform, because they all look the same.”
The host also laughed along with this.

Bentancur’s insincere apology

This is a statement that reveals the racist view that there is no difference in the appearance of Asians.
This is proof of how widespread discrimination against Asians is in South America.

Although it is not easy to tell the difference between unfamiliar races, it is something that should never be said.
Naturally, controversy over racial discrimination grew, and Bentancur posted an apology through social media.

He said, “Sonny my brother! I apologize for what happened.
That was a really bad joke.

I want you to know that I love you so much and would never disrespect or hurt you or anyone else!
“I love you, brother,” he said, bowing his head.

However, noise could not be avoided here either.
Bentancur received criticism from some fans when he posted an apology on his Instagram Story, which disappears within 24 hours of being posted.

Currently, the apology has been taken down.
Moreover, Bentancur made the mistake of writing ‘Sonny’ as ‘Sony’.

Sony is not Son Heung-min’s nickname, but the name of a Japanese electronics company.
Above all, if Bentancourt was truly sorry, he should have admitted that he was insensitive in his racist remarks and apologized.

It is somewhat disappointing that this was simply treated as a ‘bad joke’ and passed over.

Bentancur’s racist remarks are controversial in the UK

Bentancur’s racist remarks are controversial in the UK as well.
Moreover, since it was a teammate’s remark directed at captain Son Heung-min, he cannot avoid criticism.

‘The Athletic’ also reported, “Bentancur apologized to Son Heung-min for making a ‘joke in bad taste.’”
At the same time, he pointed out the seriousness of racial discrimination, saying, “In November of last year, a Crystal Palace supporter who made a racist gesture toward Son Heung-min during a Premier League (PL) game was banned from attending soccer games for three years.”

‘The Sun’ also said, “Bentancur was quickly criticized for his comments.
“He apologized on Instagram after a fierce backlash arose,” he said. “Bentancur’s shocking remarks came just a year after Son Heung-min was the victim of racism in the West Ham game.

“Son Heung-min was once again subjected to racial discrimination during the Palace match,” he emphasized.
Tottenham fans are also angry.

‘I don’t know what to say,’ said Spurs Webb.
It’s crazy that Bentancur would make such a statement.

It’s not just a bad joke, it’s a very insulting remark.
I just hope Son Heung-min doesn’t take this to heart.

“I just hope they’ll be okay when they join for preseason,” he said, unable to hide his shock.

Tottenham are still silent

First of all, Tottenham has remained silent without making any statement.
Son Heung-min also did not give an official response.

Since Bentancur’s apology letter has also disappeared, there is a possibility that the matter will end like this.
However, disciplinary action may be imposed on Bentancur at the FA level.

The Telegraph also reported that he could face an FA investigation.
The FA is an organization that directly investigates and adjudicates racist actions that occur in the world of football, and incidents that occur outside the stadium are no exception.

Racist behavior between fellow players can naturally be subject to disciplinary action.
In fact, Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva was suspended for one game and fined 50,000 pounds (about 88 million won) for racially discriminating against Benjamin Mendy five years ago.

At that time, he posted a childhood photo of Mendy and a photo of a Spanish confectionary brand character reminiscent of a black man and wrote, ‘Guess who it is.’
Silva and Mendy explained that it was a joke between close friends, but the FA did not ignore it.

Edinson Cavani also failed to avoid disciplinary action for inappropriate comments towards his fans while playing for Manchester United in 2021.
He was suspended for three games and fined 100,000 pounds (approximately 175.86 million won) after calling a fan ‘Negrito’ while thanking a fan for supporting him on social media.

Cavani was aggrieved that it was only an expression of affection, but the FA did not accept this.
Bentancur could also find himself in a similar situation, as he has publicly made racist comments.

by 안전놀이터