Tottenham are ready to appeal Rodrigo Bentancur’s seven-match ban for an alleged racist remark he made about team-mate Son Heung-min in a TV interview.

Spurs are not inclined to appeal the guilty verdict but hope to have his national ban reduced.

Mail Sport’s Sami Mokbel exclusively revealed at the start of November that the FA were set to hit the Uruguayan with a huge ban following the incident. He was subsequently banned for seven matches and fined £100,000.

The FA has a minimum time limit of six games for bans related to racial abuse, but gave Bentancur an extra game as it deemed his comments to be an “aggravated offence”.

Bentancur, 27, was charged by the FA on September 12 with an alleged breach of misconduct in relation to a media interview which appeared in June and showed Bentancur being asked by the Channel 10 host to show the shirt of a Spurs player.

Former Juventus player Bentancur replied: “Sonny’s? Might as well be Sonny’s cousin as they all look the same.

Rodrigo Bentancur made this comment in an interview on a Uruguayan TV show in June 2024

The Tottenham captain, the subject of the racist remark, pictured above with his parents

While Bentancur quickly apologised, on the grounds that this was an “aggravated breach”, an independent regulatory commission was required to either uphold the FA’s charge or dismiss the case.

The Independent Regulatory Commission upheld the allegation and Bentancur is set to miss Tottenham’s next seven domestic matches but will be able to play for the club in their upcoming Europa League games against Roma and Rangers.

An FA spokesman said: “An independent regulatory commission has imposed a seven-match ban and a £100,000 fine on Rodrigo Bentancur for breaching FA rule E3 in relation to a media interview.

“The Tottenham Hotspur midfielder was alleged to have breached FA Rule E3.1 because he acted in an improper manner and/or used abusive and/or insulting words and/or brought the game into disrepute.

“It was further argued that this constituted an ‘aggravated breach’, which is defined in FA Rule E3.2, because it included a reference – express or implied – to nationality and/or race and/or ethnic origin.

“Rodrigo Bentancur denied this allegation, but the Independent Regulatory Commission found it to be proven and sanctioned him following a hearing.”

Former Manchester United striker Edinson Cavani has been hit with a three-match ban and a £100,000 fine in 2020 after the Uruguay legend used the word “negrito” in a social media post.

Cavani sent the message to a friend after his match-winning performance against Southampton in November 2020, but the FA ruled it was discriminatory in nature and charged him with misconduct.

The Tottenham captain was targeted with racial abuse on several occasions while playing

The news comes as a blow to Ange Postecoglou, who has banked on Bentancur this season

Mail Sport exclusively revealed earlier this month that Bentancur will be handed a hefty ban

While on international duty with his squad this week, Tottenham midfielder Bentancur revealed he was told by his agent that the punishment would be harsh.

“My agent called me and said he was notified that this was the sanction,” said the 27-year-old. “Until now, the club has not contacted me. I already knew more or less where it was going.

“Now the sanction is out, I want to be at ease here with the national team. Then we’ll see when it’s time to go back.

Bentancur has played an important role for Ange Postecoglou this campaign, featuring in 10 of Tottenham’s 11 Premier League games so far, starting seven.

The only game the Uruguayan missed this season was Spurs’ home game with Everton on the second weekend, when Postecoglou’s side triumphed 4-0.

Breaking his silence on the incident earlier this summer, the former Juventus star took to social media to offer a profuse apology to Son, insisting to the Spurs captain that it was a “very bad joke”.

He said: “Sonny bro! I apologize for what happened, it was just a very bad joke!

“You know I love you and I would never disrespect you or hurt you or anyone else! I love you brother!’

Bentancur was in action with Uruguay during the international break as his side beat Colombia

South Korean revealed team-mate Bentancur was close to tears as he apologized

The real son revealed that teammate Bentancur was close to tears when he apologized for the alleged racial slur.

“Right now, because of the FA process, I can’t say much about him,” Son said in September. “But I love Rodrigo, I love him. We have many good memories since we started playing together when he joined.

“He knew and apologized immediately afterwards. I was on vacation. i was at home I didn’t even realize what was going on when he sent me a long message and you could feel it coming from his heart.

“When we came back for pre-season he was very sorry and almost cried when he apologized publicly and personally. He felt very sorry. We are all human and we all make mistakes and learn from them.

“I love Rodrigo. I love him, I love him,’ the South Korean said when he first broke his silence on the incident in June.

“He knows he made a mistake, but I have no problem with him. We go on as teammates and friends and as brothers. We go forward together.

“We have to wait and see what the FA say in their process. I can’t say much, but what I can say is that I love Rodrigo, I have nothing more to say.

Bentancur’s comments came less than a year after a fan was handed a three-year football ban for racially abusing Son.

Bentancur (right) apologized profusely to his team-mate, claiming it was just a ‘bad joke’

Tottenham broke their silence on the incident in June, with Son insisting he ‘loves Rodrigo’

Robert Garland made a racial slur at the striker after being substituted in the 89th minute against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on 6 May 2023.

The 44-year-old fan pleaded guilty to racially aggravated harassment at Highbury Magistrates Court on August 25 and was sentenced later that year.

The incident in May 2023 marked the third time Son has been racially abused while playing for Tottenham last season.

After the initial incident, Tottenham released a statement of their own on social media, saying they were supporting the process in seeking a “positive outcome”.

“Following a comment by Rodrigo Bentancur in a video interview and the player’s subsequent public apology, the club has provided assistance to ensure a positive outcome in this matter,” the club wrote.

“This will include ongoing education for all players in line with our diversity, equality and inclusion goals.

“We fully support that our captain Sonny feels 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 teams of fans and teams. Discrimination of any kind does not take place at our club, in our game or in wider society.”