By: Odeh Favour Adiya
Major League Soccer side Columbus Crew have sacked their reserve team coach, Federico Higuaín, following an incident in which he refused to release a female referee’s hand and uttered a sexist remark, according to a report by the BBC.
Higuaín, who is the brother of former Real Madrid and Argentina striker Gonzalo Higuaín and a former longtime player for Columbus, was relieved of his duties as head coach of Crew 2, the club’s MLS NEXT Pro side.
The sack came after he was sent off and handed a two-match suspension for his unruly conduct following an August 23 match against Huntsville City FC.
During the post-match handshake, Higuaín was accused of squeezing the female official’s hand and refusing to let go despite being told to stop three times.
Reacting to the incident, the Professional Soccer Referees Association (PSRA) condemned the behavior in an official statement.
“A male head coach committed two deliberate acts of physical abuse and sexism against a female official, squeezing her hand and refusing to let go after being told to stop three times.”
“This physical intimidation was compounded by a demeaning, sexist remark to the official: ‘Don’t forget, this is a man’s game.'”
“Women make every level of this game better. They should not have to endure intimidation or degrading comments to prove it.”
“Our female officials have proven their excellence on the world stage. They deserve the same respect, dignity, and safe working environment as every other official,” the referees’ union stated.
The PSRA further described the initial two-match suspension handed to the coach as one that “falls drastically short.”
Higuaín had returned to the sideline after serving the two-game ban and completing part of a required restorative practices process before the club ultimately decided to part ways with him.
Meanwhile, the Crew 2 technical staff will handle coaching duties during the upcoming MLS NEXT Pro playoffs while the club searches for a permanent replacement.
