Columbus Crew, a Major League Soccer side, have dismissed their reserve-team coach following an incident in which he held onto a female referee’s hand and told her that football was “a man’s game”.
Federico Higuain, the brother of former Real Madrid forward Gonzalo Higuain, received a red card and a two-match suspension over his conduct during an MLS Next Pro fixture.
Crew general manager Issa Tall said the club had concluded that removing Higuain from his role was the right decision for its players, staff and wider organisation.
Tall added that, after holding discussions and reviewing events from the previous month, the club believed Higuain had failed to meet the leadership standards required by the team.
The Professional Soccer Referees Association (PSRA), however, condemned the league’s handling of the matter and argued that the two-game suspension was far too lenient.
The referees’ union said the male coach had intentionally subjected a female official to physical intimidation and sexist behaviour by gripping her hand and continuing to hold it despite being asked three times to release her.
According to the union, his actions were made worse by a disparaging comment suggesting that the sport belonged to men.
It stressed that women improve the game at every level and should never be forced to tolerate threatening conduct or insulting remarks to demonstrate their value.
The organisation also noted that female referees have already shown their quality at the highest international level and are entitled to the same respect, dignity and workplace safety as all other match officials.
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