AIFF Establishes a Team To Look Into Two Female Football Players’ Alleged Physical Assault

On Saturday, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) requested that Deepak Sharma, a member of its executive committee, abstain from all game-related activity until a panel’s investigation into his alleged physical assault on two female football players in Goa is over.

On the evening of March 28, two players from Khad FC, a team that plays in the Indian Women’s Football (IWL) League 2nd division in Himachal Pradesh, claimed that Sharma, the club’s owner, had broken into their room and physically attacked them.

Based on the complaints of the two female football players, they registered a complaint at the Mapusa police station as well as with the AIFF competition committee and the Goa Football Association (GFA), which was hosting the event.

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The two players complained that they were worried for their lives” and that Sharma was drunk the majority of the time, according to reports. Anurag Thakur, the minister of sports, requested earlier in the day that the AIFF take “short” and “severe legal action” against the officer.

In addition to owning the team and serving on the national federation’s executive council, Sharma is also the secretary-general of the Himachal Pradesh Football Association. The AIFF declined to sanction him. Following an emergent meeting of its senior members, the AIFF released a statement saying, “The players from Khad FC, participating in the IWL 2 in Goa, formally notified the AIFF of certain incidents of alleged physical assault and harassment on them on March 29.”

“The committee has been given seven days by the AIFF president to present a report. Mr. Deepak Sharma, who is suspected of being involved in the regrettable occurrence, has been instructed to wait until the committee’s proceedings are over before returning to any football-related activity.

“To guarantee the players’ safe return home, the AIFF is collaborating with them. Pinky Bompal Magar, an executive committee member, Rita Jairath, an AIFF safety and child safeguarding officer, and Vijay Bali make up the committee.

Taking the issue seriously, Thakur stated that the sports ministry places the utmost premium on the safety and security of its players. “The Ministry of Sports has taken serious notice of an alleged physical attack upon women footballers by an official during the ongoing Indian Women’s League in Goa,” he said on Twitter. “AIFF has been instructed to move quickly to protect our football players’ safety and security. The ministry has also instructed AIFF to pursue vigorous legal action and report back to the ministry on any measures that are taken. Our top goal is to ensure the players’ safety and security.