Tottenham rivals left shocked by Rodrigo Bentancur suspension
The Telegraph have revealed that the FA’s decision to hand Rodrigo Bentancur a seven-game suspension for his comments about Heung-min Son has left Tottenham and their Premier League rivals completely shocked.
Inconsistencies of the FA leave everyone scratching their heads
Bentancur has been handed a seven-match ban and hit with a £100,000 fine for the derogatory joke he made about Son, with an independent regulatory commission ruling that the midfielder had breached FA’s Rule E3.1.
The Telegraph reports that this decision has surprised many across the Premier League, given the inconsistencies in punishment handed to other players over alleged racial remarks.
It is pointed out that Enzo Fernandez and Rodri escaped FA investigations over allegedly racially insensitive comments made while on international duty this summer.
Meanwhile, Bernardo Silva was given a one-game ban in 2019 for a tweet involving his former Manchester City team-mate Benjamin Mendy while former Man Utd striker Edison Cavani was suspended for one game in 2021 over a social media post in which he used the term “negrito”.
Rodrigo Bentancur has been made an example of
The outlet points out that even though the FA had introduced a six-game ban for racist abuse five years ago, Bentancur’s seven-match suspension has caused shock, given the precedent that has been set in the aforementioned cases.
There is a belief across the Premier League that Tottenham and Rodrigo Bentancur have been made an example of and that the player’s own apology, together with the backing of Son, has been used against the Uruguayan.
While Spurs have not commented on the ban, there is thought to be a lot of frustration and bewilderment at Hotspur Way at the FA’s decision.
How Bentancur’s apology has been used against him
The report explaining the independent regulatory commission’s decision states: “His first apology, drafted without consultation with THFC or any other adviser and posted the day after the film had been brought to his attention, explained it as ‘just a very bad joke’ (although in his statement, he said that “sarcastic” would have been a better word than ‘joke’).
“That suggests that the player himself realised what he had said was offensive, and was anxious to correct it as soon as possible. His second apology equally appears to have acknowledged that his remarks had been objectively offensive, which is why he apologised for the offence caused.
“In these apologies (particularly the first), the player appears to realise and accept that his remarks were objectively insulting and/or abusive and offensive, and apologise for the offence he has caused to Heung-Min Son and those who share his characteristics of nationality and/or race and/or ethnic origin.”
The Telegraph reveals that many sources outside Tottenham have expressed surprise that Bentancur’s own attempt at an apology would be effectively used against him.
They are particularly surprised that the independent commission has done this when English is not even the Tottenham man’s first language. The publication adds that Spurs have a right to appeal the verdict and are now considering their next step.
The post Tottenham rivals left shocked by Rodrigo Bentancur suspension appeared first on Spurs Web.