Two female footballers from the Indian Women’s League 2 club Khad FC lodged a complaint with the AIFF’s competitions committee on Friday over alleged physical assault by Deepak Sharma, an executive committee member of the All India Football Federation, on Thursday.
He is Himachal Pradesh Football Association's general secretary and deputy chairman of AIFF’s competitions committee.
In their complaint, the players alleged that they had gone to their rooms after dinner to boil eggs. According to them, Deepak Sharma stormed into their rooms, slapping and assaulting them physically, according to a Times of India report.
According to the report, the players stated that Sharma was consistently intoxicated and had alcohol with him when Khad FC travelled from Himachal Pradesh to Delhi before the league. "He was drinking in front of us", the footballers said in their complaint.
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They also expressed fear for their safety, leading officials from the Goa Football Association (GFA) to visit the team hotel. The team manager provided a written assurance, promising the safety of the players. "I take full responsibility for the girls and will ensure they are safely escorted to their homes. There will be no issues," manager Nanalita Sharma said.
AIFF women's football committee chairperson said, “I have just seen the complaint copy and am rushing to see the team at the hotel. Such things cannot be tolerated. The AIFF will deal with this accordingly.”
In an unrelated incident, an AIFF woman staffer had lodged a "verbal" complaint of "harassment" against a male colleague earlier. The Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) of the AIFF met on Tuesday to discuss the matter. However, the woman sought time before proceeding any further with the complaint.
{{/usCountry}}In an unrelated incident, an AIFF woman staffer had lodged a "verbal" complaint of "harassment" against a male colleague earlier. The Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) of the AIFF met on Tuesday to discuss the matter. However, the woman sought time before proceeding any further with the complaint.
{{/usCountry}}"She made a verbal complaint and despite she not doing it in writing and not pressing for charges, the ICC escalated the matter and the committee met to discuss the issue. She has sought time to decide on whether to press charges or not," an AIFF source told PTI.
The AIFF constituted the Internal Complaints Committee in January under the provision of Chapter II (4.1) of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Work Place (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act 2013.
(With PTI inputs)