Rodrigo Bentancur has apologised once more for the disrespectful remark, which he says was directed solely at his Tottenham captain Son Heung-min.
The Spurs midfielder tried to crack a joke when a reporter asked for a shirt from one of his teammates during a live interview before to the Copa America. Bentancur questioned, “Sonny?” in response to the reporter’s question, “Can you get me the shirt from the Korean?” “Or any other champion?” the journalist then inquired. Bentancur answered, “Or any cousin of Sonny, they all look more or less the same!” The reporter said, “Yes, of course!!” in response.
Kick It Out, an organisation that works to end racism and discrimination in sport, said this week that it had “received a significant number of reports about Rodrigo Bentancur’s comments regarding his Tottenham team-mate Son Heung-min.” The comment was interpreted as a racial slur and provoked outrage both within and outside of the Korean community. The club and the appropriate authorities have already received these reports. Although Bentancur has admitted to causing offence, this only serves to draw attention to a larger problem that significantly impacts East Asian and other cultures. In the upcoming season, we hope to address these more general concerns.
The FA is also investigating the remarks in light of the Uruguayan’s possible charges and suspension. Spurs are handling the subject internally, but Bentancur has returned to Instagram with a longer-term post about it. This comes after Bentancur issued a brief 24-hour Instagram Story apology shortly after the interview went viral and provoked backlash.
“I want to let everyone of our followers and admirers know that, in the wake of my interview in which I solely mentioned Son, I have had a conversation with him. Given our close connection, he rationally realises that it was merely an accidental misunderstanding. With my friend, everything has been explained and resolved,” he remarked.
“I would like to sincerely apologise if my statements via this media medium caused offence to anyone. However, I also want you to know that I have never, ever made reference to anyone else. Only to Son, and I’ve never intended to cause anyone harm, either directly or indirectly. A hearty hug and my deepest regards to all of you.”
In an Instagram Story post on Thursday, Son had addressed the issue and offered his own response, stating: “I’ve spoken with Lolo.” He has apologised and acknowledged that he made a mistake. I would never purposely say anything offensive, lol. We are brothers, and not a single thing has changed.
“We’ve moved over this, we’re a team, and we’ll get back together in the off-season to defend our team as a whole. Sonny.
That day, Spurs also issued a statement in which they said: “The club has been offering support in securing a positive result on the subject following a comment made by Rodrigo Bentancur in a video clip from an interview and the player’s subsequent public apology. As part of our diversity, equality, and inclusion goals, all participants will receive additional education in this regard.
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