Columbus Crew has terminated the contract of reserve team coach Federico Higuain after he made a sexist remark towards a female referee during an MLS Next Pro league match. Higuain, the brother of former Real Madrid player Gonzalo Higuain, refused to let go of the referee's hand and stated, "Don't forget, this is a man's game," leading to his sending off and a two-match suspension.
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Crew general manager Issa Tall said in a statement, "We determined it's in the best interest of our club, players, and support staff to dismiss Federico Higuain from his responsibilities. 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 Professional Soccer Referees Association (PSRA) criticized the league's response, stating that Higuain's two-game ban "falls drastically short." The referees' union highlighted that the actions included two deliberate acts of physical abuse and sexism against the female official. Their statement noted, "This physical intimidation was compounded by a demeaning, sexist remark to the official. 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."