Columbus Crew sack Federico Higuain after sexist taunt at female referee

Major League Soccer club Columbus Crew have sacked reserve team coach Federico Higuain after he was sent off for a bizarre and ugly confrontation with a female referee during an MLS Next Pro league match. The Argentine was dismissed from his role after refusing to let go of the official's hand and telling her: "Don't forget, this is a man's game."

Higuain, the brother of former Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Higuain, had initially been handed a two-match suspension for the incident. But following internal conversations this week and a review of the past month, the club decided the sanctions did not go far enough.

Club acts after internal review

"We determined it's in the best interest of our club, players and support staff to dismiss Federico Higuain from his responsibilities," Crew general manager Issa Tall said in a statement. "After conversations this week and further assessing the past month, our club's standards of what's expected from a leader for one of our teams have not been met."

The dismissal brings a sudden end to Higuain's long association with the club, having spent eight seasons at Columbus Crew as a player before moving into coaching with the reserve team.

Referees' union hits out at initial sanction

While the club acted decisively, the Professional Soccer Referees Association (PSRA) had already criticised the league's initial response, arguing that Higuain's two-game ban "falls drastically short" of what the circumstances merited.

In a strongly worded statement, the referees' union detailed the incident: "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 case has reignited debate about how football leagues discipline coaches who mistreat match officials, and the PSRA's forceful response suggests the issue is far from closed even after Higuain's dismissal.