Columbus Crew fires reserve coach after sexist hand-shake incident with female referee

Columbus Crew announced the removal of reserve-team coach Federico Higuain following a confrontation with a female referee during an MLS NEXT Pro game in Los Angeles. Higuain had earlier been shown a red card and handed a two-game suspension after he squeezed the official’s hand and ignored repeated requests to release it, adding the comment, “Don’t forget this is a man’s game.” General manager Issa Tall stated the club decided the coach failed to meet leadership standards.

According to the Professional Soccer Referees Association, the behavior was a deliberate act of physical intimidation and sexist harassment, and the union called the league’s punishment “drastically short.” Higuain did not offer a public apology or take responsibility in subsequent discussions. The dismissal underscores the league’s stance on protecting officials and promoting gender equity in soccer.