Columbus Crew sacked reserve team coach Federico Higuain after an incident involving a female referee during an MLS Next Pro match. Multiple reports say Higuain told the referee, “Don’t forget this is a man’s game,” and refused to let go of her hand during the match aftermath, prompting complaints about sexist conduct and intimidation.
The club says it dismissed him after reviewing the situation and determining his conduct did not meet its standards for a leader. The Guardian reports he was also sent off for the incident and later received a two-match ban, while a referees’ union described the actions as physical abuse and sexism. Reports vary mainly in emphasis—some focus on the “man’s game” comment, others on the alleged physical grabbing/squeezing of the referee’s hand and the resulting disciplinary measures.
Across outlets, the common points are that Columbus Crew II/Reserve Coach Federico Higuain was removed from his responsibilities, the referee’s status as female was central to the complaint, and the dismissal followed an investigation and earlier disciplinary action by officials.
