Soccer-Spurs' Son accepts team mate Bentancur's apology for racist remark
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Leicester City v Tottenham Hotspur - King Power Stadium, Leicester, Britain - February 11, 2023 Tottenham Hotspur's Rodrigo Bentancur celebrates scoring their first goal with Son Heung-min Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff/File Photo
(Reuters) - Tottenham Hotspur forward Son Heung-min has accepted an apology from team mate Rodrigo Bentancur after the Uruguayan had said all South Korean people "look the same" during a television appearance.
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Sheffield United v Tottenham Hotspur - Bramall Lane, Sheffield, Britain - May 19, 2024 Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min applauds fans after the match Action Images via Reuters/Craig Brough/File Photo
In a short clip posted on social media from Uruguayan Television programme Por La Camiseta, host Rafa Cotelo asked Bentancur for a Spurs player's shirt, to which he replied, "Sonny's?", adding: "It could be Sonny's cousin too as they all look the same."
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, Britain - May 14, 2024 Tottenham Hotspur's Rodrigo Bentancur reacts Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra/File Photo
The midfielder apologised for his comments last week.
"I've spoken with Lolo (Bentancur)," South Korea captain Son said in a post on Instagram.
"He made a mistake, he knows this and has apologised. 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."
In a separate statement on Thursday, Tottenham said it would provide further education to 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," Spurs added.
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Ken Ferris)