The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has taken action against one of its executive committee members, Deepak Sharma, following allegations of physical assault against two women footballers in Goa. The incident, which involved the owner of Himachal Pradesh-based Khad FC club, took place on March 28 during the Indian Women’s Football League second division. The two footballers reported that Sharma, who was allegedly in an inebriated state at the time, barged into their room and assaulted them, causing them to fear for their safety. Subsequently, the AIFF has requested Sharma to refrain from all game-related activities until the completion of a probe into the matter.
In response to the incident, Sports Minister Anurag Thakur urged the AIFF to take swift and decisive legal action against the accused official. While Sharma has not been suspended from his position, the AIFF has formed a committee to investigate the allegations and submit a report within seven days. In the meantime, Sharma has been directed to step back from his football-related duties. The AIFF is also ensuring the safe return of the affected players to their homes.
The committee responsible for the investigation includes executive committee member Pinky Bompal Magar, AIFF’s Safety and Child Safeguarding Officer Rita Jairath, and Vijay Bali. Minister Thakur emphasized that the safety and security of players are paramount and called for stringent measures to address such incidents within the sports community. The Ministry of Sports has instructed the AIFF to take immediate and effective actions to safeguard the well-being of footballers and to provide updates on the actions taken in response to the incident.
