The Football Association have dismissed Tottenham’s appeal against Rodrigo Bentancur’s seven-game suspension for using racist language in a television interview.
Bentancur has already served five matches of the seven-game sanction and will now be out for Thursday’s Carabao Cup quarterfinal against Manchester United and Sunday’s Premier League home game against leaders Liverpool.
He will next be available for Spurs’ Boxing Day clash at Nottingham Forest.
The 27-year-old was last month also ordered to pay a £100,000 ($126,710) fine and attend a mandatory face-to-face education programme after appearing on Uruguayan show “Por La Camiseta” in June.
Host Rafa Cotelo asked Bentancur for a Spurs player’s shirt, to which he replied, “Sonny’s?” [Son Heung-Min], adding: “It could be Sonny’s cousin too as they all look the same.”
Bentancur apologised and Son insisted “nothing had changed” between the pair — describing them as “brothers” — but an independent regulatory commission panel upheld the FA charge.
Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou explained that while the club accepted the judgement, they wanted to appeal the length of his suspension on the basis the ban was “a little bit harsh” as FA rules dictate the minimum punishment for such an offence is six games.
However, in a statement released on Tuesday, the FA said: “An independent Appeal Board has dismissed an appeal by Rodrigo Bentancur in relation to his recent suspension.
“An independent Regulatory Commission imposed a seven-match suspension on the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder for an aggravated breach of FA Rule E3 in relation to a media interview.
“This appeal was dismissed following a hearing, and the seven-match suspension remains as ordered by the Regulatory Commission. The Appeal Board’s written reasons for its decision will be published in due course.”
Bentancur has been able to play in the Europa League as the ban does not apply to UEFA competitions.
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