PSRA Criticizes Federico Higuaín’s Two-Game Suspension Following Incident With Female Official

Columbus, OH – Columbus Crew 2 head coach Federico Higuaín has been confirmed as the coach referenced in the Professional Soccer Referees Association’s (PSRA) statement criticizing the handling of an incident involving female match official Marie Durr.

The Professional Soccer Referees Association (PSRA), the union representing referees in MLS and USL, issued a scathing criticism of MLS NEXT Pro over its handling of an incident in which a coach committed what the organization described as “two deliberate acts of physical abuse and sexism against a female official.”

Multiple sources told Caleb Pongratz of Prost International and Spotrac that Columbus Crew 2 head coach Federico Higuaín was the coach involved in the incident.

The PSRA did not initially identify Higuaín by name in its public statement. However, multiple sources confirmed to Pongratz that Higuaín was the coach involved, while PSRA President Peter Manikowski independently confirmed on Sunday that Higuaín is the MLS NEXT Pro coach referenced in the statement.

According to the PSRA, the incident occurred following Columbus Crew 2’s match against Huntsville City FC on Aug. 23.

The organization said Higuaín squeezed the hand of a female match official and refused to release his grip despite being told three times to stop. The PSRA alleged that the physical interaction was followed by a sexist remark directed toward the official: “Don’t forget that this is a man’s game.”

MLS NEXT Pro subsequently conducted an investigation into the incident, which resulted in Higuaín receiving a two-match suspension and being required to participate in restorative practice training.

Sources have mentioned that Higuaín has begun, but has not yet completed, the required training. He has already served the entirety of his two-match suspension, missing Crew 2’s matches against Chicago Fire II on Aug. 30 and Philadelphia Union II on Sept. 4.

While disciplinary action was taken, the PSRA believes the punishment failed to adequately reflect the severity of the conduct.

At the center of the organization’s criticism is the length of Higuaín’s suspension. In its public statement, the PSRA said U.S. Soccer policy mandates a minimum three-game suspension for a “forceful grab,” while acts of discrimination also carry a minimum three-game suspension.

“The League’s response falls drastically short of the right message to the participants, the referees, and the public,” the PSRA said in its statement. “It needs to be reevaluated.”

Speaking with Pongratz on Sunday evening, Manikowski explained that intimidation toward match officials can take numerous forms and said the circumstances surrounding this incident warranted a stronger response.

“Intimidation when it comes to participants and match officials can take many different forms — throwing the ball, kicking, punching, things like that,” Manikowski said. “This was such an act of intimidation that we felt it required something more.”

For Manikowski and the PSRA, the disagreement is not over whether Higuaín was disciplined, but whether the punishment was consistent with the standards established to protect match officials.

“The decision-makers are their own people, and they make their own decisions. We simply disagree with them,” Manikowski said.

Manikowski also pointed toward the minimum disciplinary standards outlined in the MLS NEXT Pro manual and the expectation that coaches and other members of a club’s staff should be held to a higher behavioral standard.

“The MLS NEXT Pro manual talks about minimums and about staff being held to a higher standard, and we all think that’s a great idea. Players’ heart rates are elevated when they’re on the field and emotions are running high. Staff members, however, should be held to that higher standard.”

The PSRA ultimately elected to address the situation publicly after determining that the punishment fell short of what the organization believed should have resulted from the incident.

“When the discipline came short of what we believed should have occurred, there was a disconnect,” Manikowski said. “That’s what led to the public statement.”

According to Manikowski, the decision to speak publicly extended beyond this individual case. The PSRA sought to draw greater attention to how leagues and governing bodies respond when match officials are subjected to intimidation or abuse.

“We wanted to make people aware, at all levels and across all sports, that when decision-makers need to make these decisions, incidents involving intimidation of match officials need to be taken seriously.”

Pongratz also asked Manikowski about the well-being of Marie Durr, the female match official involved in the incident, and whether it had affected her willingness or ability to continue officiating matches.

The PSRA declined to comment on Durr’s condition or whether the incident has had any impact on her officiating career.

The alleged remark directed toward the female official adds a gender-based element to an incident the PSRA already views as physical intimidation.

For Manikowski, the expectation that coaches and staff members maintain a higher standard of conduct is particularly important because they are not experiencing the same physical and emotional demands as players actively competing on the field.

The dispute between the PSRA and MLS NEXT Pro, therefore, centers on whether a two-match suspension adequately reflected the alleged physical intimidation and sexist conduct, and whether the punishment aligned with the standards governing interactions with match officials.

Higuaín has since returned to the Crew 2 sideline following the completion of his suspension, coaching three matches against Toronto FC II, New England Revolution II and Carolina Core.

Our position regarding the PSRA statement on Head Coach Higuaín’s actions: #CapyCrew | #Crew96

— CapyBrava (@capybrava.bsky.social) 2026-09-20T22:42:22.973Z

The incident has also drawn criticism from within the Columbus Crew supporter community.

CapyBrava issued a statement calling for Higuaín’s dismissal as Crew 2 head coach, citing the conduct described by the PSRA and arguing that it does not align with the values expected of someone representing the club.

The call for Higuaín’s dismissal adds another layer of pressure surrounding the situation, with the PSRA already publicly calling for MLS NEXT Pro to reevaluate the discipline imposed following its investigation.

Pongratz reached out to Columbus Crew for comment but had not received a response at the time of publication. The club, however, provided the following statement to ESPN:

“The Crew actively collaborated with MLS NEXT Pro throughout the review process and fully accepted the additional discipline issued in accordance with league policies.

“Our Club is dedicated to growing the game by creating environments where everyone is welcome and supported on and off the pitch, which is founded upon our values of respect, inclusivity and prioritizing people and culture first. We condemn any action or notion that contradicts our mission of uniting and uplifting all communities and genders through the global game.”

The Crew’s statement did not specifically address the PSRA’s call for the discipline to be reevaluated.