Rodrigo Bentancur has apologised to Son Heung-min for the racist remark (Picture: Getty)
Son Heung-min says he has accepted an apology from Rodrigo Bentancur and is keen to draw a line under the episode after he was on the receiving end of a racist remark from his Tottenham team-mate.
In footage widely shared on social media, originally broadcast on Uruguayan Television programme Por La Camiseta, Bentancur shocked viewers by suggesting that all people from South Korea ‘looked the same’.
Host Rafa Cotelo had asked Bentancur if he could get his hands on a Tottenham player’s shirt, to which the Uruguay international responded, ‘Sonny’s?, adding: ‘It could be Sonny’s cousin too as they all look the same.’
After a fierce backlash, Bentancur, who has shared a dressing room with South Korea international Son for the past three years in north London, took to Instagram to apologise for his comments.
‘Sonny brother! I apologise to you for what happened,’ the Spurs and Uruguay midfielder wrote in a message on his Instagram stories.
‘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!’
The Tottenham midfielder admitted his remark was a ‘very bad joke’ (Picture: Instagram)
In a post shared to Tottenham’s social media accounts this morning, Son revealed he had spoken with Bentancur and stressed that the pair were ‘still brothers’.
‘I’ve spoken with Lolo. He made a mistake, he knows this and has apologised,’ the Spurs skipper said.
‘Lolo would not mean to ever intentionally say something offensive. We are brothers and nothing has changed at all.
‘We’re past this, we’re united, and we will be back together in pre-season to fight for our club as one.’
Son and Bentancur have been team-mates for three years at Tottenham (Picture: Getty)
Meanwhile, Tottenham said they would be providing ‘further education’ for their players regarding matters of ‘diversity, equality and inclusion’ going forward.
‘Following a comment from Rodrigo Bentancur in an interview video clip and the player’s subsequent public apology, the club has been providing assistance in ensuring a positive outcome on the matter,’ a statement from the club read.
‘This will include further education for all players in line with our diversity, equality and inclusion objectives.
‘We fully support that our captain Sonny feels that 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 fanbase and playing squads. discrimination of any kind has no place at our club, within our game or within wider society.’
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