Columbus Crew have dismissed reserve-team coach Federico Higuain after he was sent off for his conduct toward a female referee during an MLS Next Pro match.
Higuain, the brother of former Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Higuain, was shown a red card after an incident in which he reportedly squeezed the referee’s hand and refused to release it despite being told to stop. He then told the official, “Don’t forget this is a man’s game.”
The incident resulted in a two-match suspension for Higuain. However, the Professional Soccer Referees Association (PSRA) criticised the punishment, saying it did not reflect the seriousness of the incident. The referees’ union said Higuain committed deliberate acts of physical intimidation and sexism against the female official. It said he squeezed her hand and continued holding it after she had told him three times to let go.
The PSRA also defended female officials and called for the same respect and safety conditions as their male counterparts.
Columbus Crew subsequently ended Higuain’s coaching role.
“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.
Tall added that the club’s standards for leaders had not been met following conversations with Higuain and a further review of the previous month.
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MLS rules provide for disciplinary action against participants for discriminatory behaviour and misconduct toward match officials. MLS also states that offensive, insulting or abusive language or actions toward match officials can result in a sending-off.
Higuain is a former Columbus Crew player who spent eight seasons with the club before retiring in 2022. He later moved into coaching, including work with MLS NEXT Pro.
