Simon Jordan blasts loophole that allowed Rodrigo Bentancur to be banned but Enzo Fernandez escape punishment
Today at 11:05 AM
Simon Jordan has highlighted why Enzo Fernandez escaped the kind of punishment that has left Tottenham reeling over Rodrigo Bentancur.
Spurs' Uruguayan midfielder Bentancur has been given a seven-match ban and £100,000 fine by the Football Association.
The case related to a racial slur he made about club teammate Heung-min Son and South Koreans during an interview on Uruguayan TV.
The incident which occurred in June this year has been compared to Chelsea's Fernandez who filmed himself singing a racist chant about France and Kylian Mbappe three months later.
No investigation or punishment was forthcoming from the FA, which former Crystal Palace owner Jordan explained on talkSPORT.
"Fernandez said something equally as challenging at Chelsea but he gets away with it because of jurisdiction rules," he said.
"So you've got an inconsistency about the manner in which you approach these things because the FA couldn't sanction Fernandez.
"He's playing in the FA's Premier League, but because he was playing out of their jurisdiction as released by Chelsea he was under the jurisdiction of another governance."
Fernandez was on international duty at the time celebrating his country's Copa America final win over Canada.
That meant that FIFA picked up the investigation and punishment, rather than the FA.
FIFA said they were 'looking into' the incident but were waiting to hear from CONMEBOL – South American football’s governing body – before they decide to take any disciplinary action.
In Bentancur's case, despite the interview being on Uruguayan TV, he was playing for Spurs at the time and therefore under the FA's jurisdiction.
Fernandez wasn't the only potential beneficiary of this loophole either, with Spain and Manchester City's Rodri also escaping an FA charge in August.
The midfielder starred in a Euro 2024 final win over England and then when back in Madrid for celebrations he was seen on stage singing 'Gibraltar is Spanish'.
On that occasion the matter was taken up by UEFA as he was on international duty, and the governing body of European football handed him a one-game ban for violating 'decent conduct'.
Rodri missed a single Nations League match, while Bentancur’s seven games will see him out of a number of key fixtres.
Spurs upcoming games read: Manchester City (away), Fulham (home), Bournemouth (a), Chelsea (h), Southampton (a), Manchester United (h) – Carabao Cup, Liverpool (h).
