On Monday, Odisha FC fired manager Stuart Baxter for using an offensive analogy about rape while talking about a refereeing decision. He claimed his players must ‘rape or get raped to win a penalty’.
Baxter’s bizarre outburst came when he conducted a post-match interview having seen his team lose 1-0 to Jamshedpur FC in Babolim, Goa.
The 67-year-old went on a rant and said: ‘You need decisions to go your way, and they didn’t. I don’t know when we are going to get a penalty. I think one of my players will have to rape someone or get raped himself if he was going to get a penalty.’
The former manager of South Africa and Finland, Baxter, was initially condemned by Odisha stressing that his views do not reflect the club’s values, and subsequently removed from his position.
The club also issued a public apology. “The Club is appalled at the comments made by Head Coach, Stuart Baxter during the post-match interview today. It is completely unacceptable whatever the context and does not reflect the values of the club,” the club had tweeted on Monday. “We, at Odisha FC, unreservedly apologize and the club management will handle this matter internally,” it added.
On Tuesday, Odisha FC announced that an interim coach will be named shortly, for the remainder of the season. They are currently at the bottom of the 11-team table in the league after managing only one win from 14 matches and enduring eight losses.
