AIFF suspended Deepak Sharma for physical assault of women players

All India Football Federation (AIFF) suspended its executive committee member Deepak Sharma, for alleged physical assault of two women players. Female players have also accused him of misbehaving with them while they were in Goa for the Indian Women’s League 2.

The accuser women players belonged to the Himachal Pradesh-based Khad FC football team. They are playing in the Indian Women’s Football (IWL) League second level. They alleged Deepak broke into their room on March 28 and beat them up.

AIFF Suspends Deepak Sharma Over Physical Assault Allegations Until Further Notice#AIFF #DeepakSharma https://t.co/7NWDBAMkGk pic.twitter.com/1mgVGBu2vj
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AIFF said that Mr. Deepak Sharma will not be able to do any football-related tasks until further notice. The AIFF Executive Committee has made this decision.

However, the police arrested Deepak Sharma in Goa on March 30, 2024. Earlier, they had filed an FIR under section 323 for willfully hurting someone. The other sections included 341 for wrongful restraint and 354A (sexual harassment) of the Indian Penal Code.

Two women wrote a complaint letter to AIFF. According to the letter, women players were boiling eggs in their room after dinner after a match in the Indian Women’s League second division.

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The players said that Deepak broke into their rooms while he was drunk and beat them up. They stated that he was drinking in front of the girls on their way from Himachal to Delhi and that he kept doing this in Goa as well.

Following the letter, AIFF suspended Deepak Sharma. The federation has also dissolved the three-member committee, which they formed on March 30 to investigate the incident. Instead, they referred the case to its Disciplinary Committee.

President of the AIFF Kalyan Chaubey said AIFF wants to develop women’s football in a safe and supportive setting. The federation will do everything it takes to make that happen. AIFF has now referred the case to the Disciplinary Committee which will handle it urgently.