A football coach who used an offensive analogy about rape over a refereeing decision has been sacked by his Indian Super League club.
Odisha wrote on Twitter on Tuesday it decided “to terminate” Stuart Baxter’s contract with immediate effect.
The decision came a day after last-placed Odisha lost a league match 1-0 and Baxter said in a post-match TV interview: “You need decisions to go your way, and they didn’t. I don’t know when we’re going to get a penalty. I think one of my players would have to rape someone or get raped himself if he was going to get a penalty.”
Odisha immediately issued an apology saying the comment was “completely unacceptable whatever the context and does not reflect the values of the club.
We, at Odisha FC, unreservedly apologise and the club management will handle this matter internally.”
Baxter, a former South Africa coach, was hired last year by Odisha where former Wellington Phoenix skipper Steven Taylor is captain.
The 67-year-old former defender, who had two stints playing in Australia for South Melbourne FC, has coached the South Africa and Finland national teams was a former England under-19 coach.
He has managed clubs in Sweden, Norway, Portugal, Japan and South Africa.
