Tottenham Hotspur midfielder, Rodrigo Bentancur, has been handed a seven-match domestic ban and fined £100,000 by the Football Association (FA) after making a racial remark about teammate Son Heung-min.
The FA announced the decision following comments Bentancur made during a television appearance in his home country, Uruguay, in June.
The midfielder was charged in September but denied the allegations.
In a statement on Monday, the FA said: “Rodrigo Bentancur denied this charge, but the independent regulatory commission found it to be proven and imposed his sanctions following a hearing.”
The suspension meant the 27-year-old will miss key English Premier League fixtures against Manchester City, Liverpool, and Chelsea, as well as Tottenham’s League Cup quarter-final clash with Manchester United. Bentancur will remain eligible for Europa League matches.
The ban was a significant setback for Spurs, as Bentancur has been a key player under manager Ange Postecoglou, making 15 appearances this season and scoring his first goal in a defeat against Ipswich on November 11. His suspension will keep him out of domestic action until December 26.
