Uruguayan midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur, of Tottenham Hotspur, lost his appeal regarding a racist comment made about Heung-min Son, and will serve a seven-match suspension, as confirmed by the English Football Association (FA) on Tuesday.

Bentancur was originally sanctioned a month ago, but he appealed in an attempt to reduce his suspension to six matches, hoping to return for the game against Liverpool on December 22. However, with the appeal denied, Bentancur will be eligible to return to the pitch on December 26 against Nottingham Forest.

The controversy began during an interview this summer when a journalist asked Bentancur to pass along a shirt from his South Korean teammate Son. The midfielder responded, “Sonny?” to which the interviewer replied, “Or any other champion?” Bentancur then said, “Or any cousin of Sonny, they all look alike.”

This comment was deemed a violation of the FA's regulations regarding references to nationality, race, or ethnicity. Bentancur later apologized for the situation, which had been condemned by anti-racism organizations in England, including "Kick It Out."

In addition to the seven-match suspension, Bentancur has been fined £100,000 (around $126,000).