Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur’s seven-match suspension remains in place.
Bentancur had appealed against his punishment for making discriminatory remarks about teammate Son Heung-min, but the appeal has been dismissed.
The English Football Association (FA) confirmed the decision in a statement on Tuesday, maintaining the ban and fine for the 27-year-old midfielder.
The controversial incident occurred last June during an interview on the Uruguayan TV show Por La Camiseta. In a lighthearted manner, Bentancur joked that South Koreans “all look the same” when talking about Son.
The video spread rapidly, sparking widespread criticism. Realizing his mistake, Bentancur publicly apologized to Son on social media, and the South Korean captain forgave him. However, the FA’s Independent Regulatory Commission took strong action, citing unacceptable behavior.
As a result, Bentancur was handed a seven-match ban and fined £100,000. Tottenham appealed the decision, arguing the punishment was too harsh, but the FA upheld the ruling.
Bentancur will miss several key fixtures, including Thursday’s League Cup quarter-final clash against Manchester United and Sunday’s crucial Premier League match at home against Liverpool.
