Leadership Standards Not Met
Major League Soccer’s Columbus Crew has officially parted ways with reserve coach Federico Higuaín. The decision follows an incident involving a female referee during a match held on August 23.
In a statement released on Tuesday, September 22, Crew general manager Issa Tail explained the organization's position: «We determined it’s in the best interest of our Club, players and support staff to dismiss Federico Higuaín 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.»
Context of the Incident
The 41-year-old coach had previously served a two-game suspension linked to the event, which reportedly involved both physical intimidation and a sexist comment. During the match in question, Higuaín was issued a red card and removed from the sidelines.
Public Pressure and Association Criticism
The club's decision to terminate his employment arrived one month after the incident, prompted in part by significant public pressure and a sharp critique from the Professional Soccer Referees Association (PSRA).
The PSRA issued a statement arguing that the initial disciplinary measures were insufficient according to established guidelines:
«US Soccer policy states a ‘forceful grab’ like this requires a minimum three-game suspension. Acts of discrimination also require a minimum three-game suspension. MLS NEXT Pro’s own manual also states that. Coaches are held to ‘a higher professional standard than players.’»
The association further noted, «The League’s response falls drastically short of the right message to the participants, the referees and the public. It needs to be reevaluated.»
Background of Federico Higuaín
Before moving into coaching, Higuaín enjoyed a lengthy career as a professional athlete. He spent nearly ten years in MLS, largely as a key figure for the Columbus Crew. Notably, he was honored with the MLS Newcomer of the Year Award during his debut season in 2012. Hailing from Argentina, he also recorded 35 goals across 157 appearances in the Argentine Primera División.