Soccer Coach Fired Following Remarks About Sexual Assault in Post-Game Interview

Indian Super League team Odisha FC apologized  on Monday, following coach Stuart Baxter’s comments which used an analogy about sexual assault in a complaint about the match referee. The former team coach’s comments came after a closely-fought match with Jamshedpur FC.

“You need decisions to go your way and they didn’t,” the 67-year-old said in an interview on Indian’s Star Sports television. “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.”

Watch below:

🇮🇳⚽️ English coach Stuart Baxter talking himself out of a job pic.twitter.com/CIqa5YLrEQ

— Jakarta Casual (@JakartaCasual) February 2, 2021

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.

Continued… pic.twitter.com/Egkzi5EU9H

— Odisha FC (@OdishaFC) February 1, 2021

Odisha FC has decided to terminate Head Coach, Stuart Baxter's contract with immediate effect.

The interim coach for the remainder of the season will be announced soon.#OdishaFC pic.twitter.com/FcrMPCDn5h

— Odisha FC (@OdishaFC) February 2, 2021

Baxter has now apologized for his comments.

In a statement to the Siya crew, he said:

“It must be clear and simple that I distance myself from any sympathetic position on the gender based crimes and violence. I find that abhorrent. My comments, though wholly inappropriate and misplaced, are also out of context.”

“I was searching for the words and I got it wrong. But people that know me know that getting it wrong does not reflect any of my views as a father, grandfather, a citizen and a husband. There’s never been any sort of suspicion that I am not wholly against violence towards females. It would be cowardly, I think it is despicable and I have always made my views known,” Baxter said.

“This is not who I am, and anybody that knows, me knows who I am.”

EXCLUSIVE: Stuart Baxter has broken his silence after being sacked as head coach of Odisha FC❗

Full story here ➡️ https://t.co/ViWJJOFtWj pic.twitter.com/UhPGznPB90

— Soccer Laduma (@Soccer_Laduma) February 2, 2021

You definitely never want to talk about rape during a post game interview.

Absolutely brutal analogy.

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