June 15th 2024.
Rodrigo Bentancur, a midfielder for Tottenham Hotspur, recently issued an apology to his teammate, Son Heung-min. This came after a video surfaced online of Bentancur making a racially insensitive comment about all South Korean people looking the same. The clip was from a Uruguayan television show where the host asked Bentancur for a Spurs player's shirt, to which he replied, "Sonny's? It could be Sonny's cousin too, as they all look the same."
After facing backlash for his comment, Bentancur took to his Instagram stories to apologize to Son. He wrote, "Sonny brother! I apologize to you for what happened, it was just a very bad joke. You know I love you and I would never disrespect or hurt you or anyone else. I love you, brother!" Son has yet to publicly respond to the apology.
The two players have been teammates since Bentancur joined Tottenham from Juventus in January of 2022. However, currently, Bentancur is on international duty with Uruguay. They are in Group C with the United States, Panama, and Bolivia in the Copa America, which will be held from Thursday to July 14 in the United States. South Korea, on the other hand, has advanced to the third round of Asia's 2026 World Cup qualifiers, which will begin on June 27.
Bentancur admitted that his comment was a very bad joke and it comes less than a year after a fan was given a three-year stadium ban for racially abusing Son. The fan, Robert Garland, made a racial gesture towards Son after he was substituted in the 89th minute against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. Garland pleaded guilty to racially aggravated harassment and was convicted later that year.
This is not the first time Son has faced racism in the world of football. Earlier this year, a Chelsea supporter was given a stadium ban and charged with a racially aggravated public order offence for making a similar gesture towards Son. It's disappointing to see these types of incidents occur, especially in a sport that is meant to bring people together. Let's hope that Bentancur's apology and the consequences faced by these fans serve as a reminder to always show respect and kindness towards others, regardless of their race or nationality.
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