Global sports media The Athletic reported on the 15th (Korean time) that Rodrigo Bentancur made a bad joke and apologized to Son Heung-min.
Bentancur was asked to save Son’s uniform during his recent appearance at the Uruguayan Forla Kamiseta. However, he replied with a racist comment, saying, “What about Son’s cousin’s uniform? Son and his cousin look alike.” Fans who judged that his remarks after the comment were disparaging toward Asians criticized him.
Bentancur apologized to Son on social media as soon as the controversy began. He said, “Sonnie! I apologize for what just happened, it was a very bad joke. You know I love you, I didn’t mean to ignore you or hurt you. I love you.” However, the controversy did not lessen despite his short apology and lackluster attitude.
The disappointment was even greater due to Bentancur’s close relationship with Son. When Bentancur returned from a cruciate ligament injury in October last year, Son publicly welcomed Bentancur’s return through social media and interviews.
The British media also highlighted Bentancur’s actions and actions. The British Daily Mail said, “Bentancur left a comment that seemed to be the same as all Asians. He later apologized to his teammate Son Heung-min. His actions came less than a year after he was racist by the audience,” expressing strong disappointment.
Son Heung-min has already been controversial several times due to racial discrimination by some fans, so Bentancur’s words and apologies were bound to be more controversial.
In the 2022-2023 season, the 35th round of the EPL match between Tottenham and Palace at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium began when some away fans ripped their eyes off him with both fingers while Son Heung-min left the stadium. Son Heung-min did not respond and calmly returned to the bench, despite facing very unpleasant behaviors such as racist behavior and finger swearing at the time.
At that time, the away fan’s atrocities were reported through SNS, which caused great anger. Tottenham immediately issued a statement criticizing Son after the game. On its official website, he strongly criticized Son, saying, “We are aware of allegations of racism against him in the game. Discrimination of all kinds is abhorrent, and it is not tolerated in society, in matches, and in clubs.”
Since it was not the first time that a racist act against Son Heung-min occurred at the time, both Korean fans and Tottenham were even more angry. It was the third racist act in the stadium against Son Heung-min last season alone, and in August last year, early in the season, a Chelsea fan made an eye-wrenching gesture toward Son Heung-min and was banned from the club indefinitely.
In February, the act also occurred against West Ham, and Tottenham and the Premier League said they would investigate, and some Premier League commentators criticized Son Heung-min’s actions during the game as martial arts and made racist remarks, which caused controversy.
Six months after the match against Palace, Tottenham also reported disciplinary action against the fan, saying, “The club was able to confirm that the Palace away fan, who was convicted of making racist gestures toward Son Heung-min at home against Palace in May, was ordered off-limits to the stadium for three years after the appeal of the original sentence.”
In addition to Son Heung-min, Tottenham has also actively acted in racist acts against other players.
The British public broadcaster BBC said in October, “Udoji suffered numerous racist criticisms on social media. Udoji posted a picture on his SNS to celebrate his victory over Liverpool, and angry Liverpool fans bullied him by using racist terms in comments on Udoji’s post.”
Tottenham and Liverpool faced off in the seventh round of the 2023-2024 English Premier League (EPL) on October 1st. Udoji competed with Liverpool winger Diogo Jota in the 23rd and 24th minutes of the second half, winning two yellow cards for Jota and kicking him off the ground. On SNS, some fans criticized that Udoji had intentionally fallen in the contest with Jota, and in the process, some fans who crossed the line made racist remarks toward Udoji. British media reported, “There were countless SNS users who posted racist comments such as ‘Black monkey, stop falling,'” and “Tottenham also issued a statement angry at the situation.”
“I am nervous. I will cooperate with the Premier League secretariat. I will take all possible legal action against all those involved. Destiny, we are on your side,” Tottenham said in an angry statement on Wednesday.
Kick It Out, a foundation for preventing racism in soccer, also expressed its opinion that “comment terrorism” was “alarming,” and Troy Townsend, who is in charge of protecting players at the foundation, said, “No matter how controversial the game is, we cannot tolerate such racism.”
Recently, in La Liga, severe punishment was issued for fans who committed racism. Three fans who committed racist acts against Vinicius Junior during a match between Valencia and Real Madrid at the Mestilla Stadium in Valencia in May 2023 were sentenced to eight months in prison and banned from entering the soccer field for two years on the 11th.
Spanish media also stressed the seriousness of racism, saying, “It is the first time in Spain that a person has been convicted of racist acts on a soccer field. Three defendants have been proven to have insulted Vinicius Junior with slogans, body movements and songs that mention skin color. Repeatedly imitating the monkey’s crying caused frustration, shame and humiliation on the player, and consequently destroyed the essential human dignity.”토토사이트 모음