Two female footballers from Khad FC, a club based in Himachal Pradesh, have leveled serious accusations of assault against Deepak Sharma, a member of the executive committee of the All India Football Federation (AIFF), the governing body for football in India.
The footballers allege that Sharma, who serves as the general secretary of the Himachal Pradesh Football Association and deputy chairman of the AIFF’s competitions committee, assaulted them in a hotel room during the ongoing Indian Women’s League 2 (IWL) in Goa. On Friday, footballers filed a complaint with the AIFF. The complaint alleges an incident that happened at a Goa hotel on Thursday.
The footballers directly accused Sharma of intoxication during their trip. They claimed he was drinking alcohol in their presence throughout the journey from Himachal Pradesh to Goa. Palak Verma, one of the footballers, recounted the ordeal, mentioning that Sharma, in an inebriated state, berated them for cooking eggs and physically assaulted her when she tried to explain.
Despite lodging a complaint with the Goa Football Association (GFA) and the AIFF, the footballers claim they are facing pressure to withdraw their complaint. Jonathan D’Sousa, the GFA vice-president, confirmed that they received the sexual harassment complaint and assured that they would take necessary actions, including informing the police to ensure the safety of the players.
Deepak Sharma has been summoned for questioning by the Mapusa police station following the complaint filed by the Goa Football Association. The AIFF has yet to comment on the matter.
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