Tottenham forward Son Heung-min has revealed that his teammate Rodrigo Bentancur has apologized to him for using a racial slur.
During an appearance on Uruguayan TV, Bentancur was asked by a presenter for a Tottenham shirt. He responded by saying, “Sonny’s? It could be Sonny’s cousin too as they all look the same.”
Afterward, Bentancur issued an apology on Instagram, acknowledging that his comments were a “very bad joke.”
“I’ve spoken to Lolo,” said Son. “He made a mistake, he knows this and has apologised.
“Lolo would not mean to ever intentionally say something offensive. We are brothers and nothing has changed at all.
“We’re past this, we’re united, and we will be back together in pre-season to fight for our club as one.”
Kick It Out, an anti-discrimination charity, reported receiving a “significant number” of complaints regarding Bentancur’s racial slur. This incident has shed light on “a broader issue that disproportionately impacts East Asian and other communities.”
Tottenham confirmed that they have been actively involved in facilitating a resolution to the matter between their two players, ensuring a positive outcome.
“This will include further education for all players in line with our diversity, equality and inclusion objectives,” added Spurs in a statement.
“We fully support that our captain Sonny feels that he can draw a line under the incident and that the team can focus on the new season ahead.
“We are extremely proud of our diverse, global fanbase and playing squads. Discrimination of any kind has no place at our Club, within our game or within wider society.”