Tottenham to appeal length of Bentancur’s ban for racist remarks

Bentancur had denied the charge, but an independent regulatory commission found it to be proven and the Football Association imposed the suspension and a 100,000 pounds ($126,660) fine on the 27-year-old.

FILE - Bentancur will miss key league games against Manchester City away on Saturday as well as home clashes against Liverpool and Chelsea in December, among others. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Tottenham Hotspur will appeal against the length of Rodrigo Bentancur’s suspension for making a racist remark about teammate Son Heung-min, the Premier League club said on Wednesday after the Uruguayan was banned for seven games.

Bentancur had denied the charge, but an independent regulatory commission found it to be proven and the Football Association imposed the suspension and a 100,000 pounds ($126,660) fine on the 27-year-old.

“While we accept the guilty finding against Rodrigo by the independent regulatory commission, we believe the subsequent sanction is severe,” the club said in a statement.

“Rodrigo will remain suspended from domestic competitions while the appeal is heard.”

In June, on the Uruguayan television programme Por La Camiseta, host Rafa Cotelo asked Bentancur for a Spurs player’s shirt, to which he replied, “Sonny’s?”, adding: “Or one of Sonny’s cousins as they all look more or less the same.”

Bentancur will miss key league games against Manchester City away on Saturday as well as home clashes against Liverpool and Chelsea in December, among others. He will also miss the League Cup quarterfinal against Manchester United.