Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur has publicly apologised to his captain, Heung-min Son, following a racist joke made during an interview.
The controversy arose when Bentancur, speaking with a TV channel in Uruguay, responded to a request for Son’s kit by saying, “maybe from his cousin” because “they all look the same.”
This comment, which perpetuated the harmful stereotype that Asian people are indistinguishable from one another, quickly ignited outrage among fans and the broader football community.
Bentancur, em uma entrevista pra uma TV do Uruguai, fez aquela velha "piada" de que "pessoas asiáticas são todas iguais" ao se referir ao Son. Terrível.pic.twitter.com/QZZjwTwRGK
— TB 🇧🇷 (@TottenhamBrasil) June 14, 2024
The backlash was swift, with Bentancur widely criticised for his inappropriate comments.
Football London’s Alasdair Gold also condemned the joke on his X handle, describing it as a “dreadful attempt at humour” that was inappropriate and offensive.
Gold pointed out that Bentancur’s remark had upset many people and stressed that such behaviour is unacceptable, specially from a teammate.
In light of the criticism, Bentancur took to Instagram to issue a heartfelt apology. In his post, the Uruguayan midfielder expressed deep regret for his actions, saying:
“Sony brother! I apologise to you for what happened, it was just a very bad joke! You know that I love you and I would never disrespect you or hurt you or anyone else! I love you brother!”
Rodrigo Bentancur issues an apology to Sonny for a racist joke. pic.twitter.com/qjrOdRLA4F
— The Spurs Watch (@TheSpursWatch) June 14, 2024
