Soccer player Son Heung Min faced racial discrimination from his fellow Tottenham Hotspur FC player, Rodrigo Bentancur.
On June 14, Tottenham Hotspur FC player Bentancur shocked fans by making racially insensitive comments about Son during a broadcast appearance.
During the show, Bentancur brought up Son. When the host remarked, “I already have your jersey. I would like to have that Korean’s jersey,” referring to Son, Bentancur asked, “Sonny?” to confirm.
The host then requested, “Or maybe a champion’s jersey,” likely referring to Uruguayan soccer player Cristian Romero, who won the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Bentacur replied, “I could also give you Sonny’s cousin’s jersey. After all, they almost look the same,” implying that all Asians look alike.
After fans shared outrage on his racially discriminatory comment, Bentancur posted an apology on Instagram Stories, writing, “Sonny, my brother! I apologize for what happened. It was a bad joke. I love you. I never intended to disrespect you or hurt you or anyone else.”
Despite Bentancur’s apology, the public’s disapproval hasn’t decreased. His racially insensitive comment was also covered by the U.K. press, where Tottenham Hotspur FC is based, and he and Son are both members.
The website The Spurs Web,” which covers Tottenham news, declared that Bentancur’s remarks are absurd. “Not only is it a bad joke, but it’s also a very insulting remark. We hope Sonny doesn’t take it to heart.”
Bentancur was also chastised by the media site “The Boy Hotspur,” which claimed that his remarks supported the false notion that “Asians can’t be distinguished from one another.”
Son has often experienced racial discrimination while playing overseas.
He had previously spoken about this pain in a 2019 press conference, sharing, “I am playing in the UK, and I have experienced racial discrimination here. I think the best response is not to react at all. I play soccer as a human being. We need to protect players who face racial discrimination and fight together.”
Son has been building his soccer career overseas since 2008. Since 2015, he has achieved the feat of being the first non-European to become the captain of Tottenham. Son suffered a finger injury due to “rough play” from his junior colleague Lee Kang In. Bentancur signed a contract with Tottenham in 2022.
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