The Football Association have dismissed Tottenham’s appeal to have Rodrigo Bentancur’s ban for using a ‘racial slur’ against team-mate Son Heung-min reduced
Spurs’ Bentancur to miss festive games against Man United and Liverpool after FA misconduct charge.
The interview showed Bentancur being asked by the host of Canal 10 to show the shirt of a Spurs player to which he replied: ‘Sonny’s? It could be Sonny’s cousin too as they all look the same.’
While Bentancur swiftly apologised, due to this being an ‘aggravated breach’, an independent regulatory commission panel was required to either uphold the FA charge or dismiss the case.
An independent Regulatory Commission imposed a seven-match suspension and a £100,000 fine on the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder for an aggravated breach of FA Rule E3 in relation to the media interview.
‘This appeal was dismissed following a hearing, and the seven-match suspension remains as ordered by the Regulatory Commission.
The club did not want to contest the player’s guilt but attempted to challenge the length of the initial seven-match ban
Rejecting Spurs’ claim to have the ban reduced, the FA stated: ‘An independent Appeal Board has dismissed an appeal by Rodrigo Bentancur in relation to his recent suspension.
The FA has a minimum timespan of six games for bans pertaining to racial abuse but docked Bentancur an extra game as they concluded that his comments constituted an ‘aggravated breach’.
The 27-year-old has so far missed Premier League matches against Manchester City, Fulham, Bournemouth, Chelsea and Southampton, but has been permitted to play in the Europa League.
He will be back available for league selection on Boxing Day when Spurs travel to face Nottingham Forest
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