Higuain sexist remarks and an alleged handshake incident lead Columbus Crew to dismiss their Crew 2 coach after an MLS NEXT Pro match

Columbus Crew have dismissed Federico Higuain, head coach of the club’s MLS NEXT Pro side Crew 2, after an August 23 match in which the former player was accused of squeezing a female referee’s hand, refusing to release it and making a sexist remark.

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The incident occurred after Crew 2’s match against Huntsville City FC, when Higuain was involved in the post-match handshake with the female official.

According to reports, Higuain continued squeezing the referee’s hand and refused to let go after being instructed to stop three times.

He was subsequently sent off and given a two-match suspension for his conduct.

The incident drew further attention after Higuain was reported to have told the referee: “Don’t forget, this is a man’s game.”

The Professional Soccer Referees Association, PSRA, strongly criticised the initial punishment, arguing that the two-match suspension did not adequately reflect the seriousness of 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,” the referees’ union said.

The PSRA also condemned the reported remark, saying female officials should not have to tolerate intimidation or degrading comments while performing their duties.

The union described the original two-match suspension as falling “drastically short” of the appropriate response.

Higuain had already served the suspension and completed part of a restorative practices programme before Columbus Crew made the decision to terminate his employment.

Crew general manager Issa Tall said the club’s decision followed further discussions and an assessment of the incident and its wider implications.

“We determined it’s in the best interest of our Club, players and support staff to dismiss Federico Higuain from his responsibilities,” Tall said.

“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.”

Higuain, 41, is a familiar figure at Columbus after spending eight seasons with the club as a player. He later moved into coaching and eventually took charge of Crew 2.

He is also the brother of former Real Madrid, Juventus and Argentina striker Gonzalo Higuain.

The dismissal brings an abrupt end to Higuain’s latest role with a club where he had established a long association both on and off the pitch.

The incident has also renewed discussion around the treatment of female match officials and the standards expected from coaches and other football leaders.

The PSRA said women have demonstrated their ability to officiate at every level of the game and should be afforded the same respect and safe working conditions as their male counterparts.

For Columbus Crew, the immediate priority is the MLS NEXT Pro play-offs. The existing Crew 2 technical staff will oversee the team during the play-offs while the club begins its search for a permanent replacement.

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The dismissal means Higuain’s conduct has ultimately resulted in consequences beyond the initial league suspension, with Columbus deciding that his actions did not meet the standards expected of a coach representing the organisation.