Female footballers allege assault by AIFF official.
Two players from Khad FC have complained to the AIFF against one of its executives for allegedly assaulting them physically. In their complaint to the football body, the players accused Deepak Sharma, general secretary of the Himachal Pradesh association and deputy chairman of the AIFF competitions committee, of slapping and attacking them in their hotel rooms on Thursday.
As per their statement, Sharma was in an inebriated state and had alcohol with him when the team traveled from Himachal to Delhi for a league match.
Fearing for their safety, GFA officials rushed to meet the team after being alerted. The manager gave a written assurance of the players’ protection.
AIFF women’s committee chief said she would visit the team and such conduct won’t be tolerated. The matter will be probed, she added.
Separately, an unnamed AIFF woman employee had recently made a “verbal” complaint of “harassment” against a male colleague. While she sought time before proceeding further, the ICC had taken cognizance and convened a session to address it.
As allegations of misconduct surface, ensuring a safe environment for women in sports will be the key challenge confronting AIFF.
