AIFF bans Deepak Sharma over charges of physical assault, dissolves ad-hoc committee

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has suspended the underfire Executive Committee (EC) member Deepak Sharma from all footballing activities. Sharma has been facing the charges of physical assault against two women's footballers.

The Emergency Committee of the AIFF comprising president Kalyan Chaubey, vice president NA Haris, and treasurer Kipa Ajay took cognizance of the complaints filed by the two women's footballers of Indian Women's League 2 (IWL) club Khad FC against Sharma.

Sharma had been arrested by Goa police after the Goa Football Association (GFA) lodged a complaint against him with the police. Sharma was later released on bail. Two members of the Khad FC had accused the senior AIFF official of barging through their room and physically assaulting them on March 28.

The players also complained to AIFF’s Competition Committee the following day.

On March 30, AIFF had asked Sharma to stay away from football-related activities till the completion of an investigation by the Ad-Hoc Committee chaired by Pinky Bompal Magar into the incident.

Following the opinions and suggestions shared by the member associations of the federation, an emergency meeting was called on April 2, 2024, to determine the next course of action in the matter.

Today, the Executive Committee members met, and after a detailed discussion, it dissolved the Ad Hoc Committee and immediately referred the matter to the AIFF Disciplinary Committee.

Reacting to the situation, AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey said, “The AIFF is determined to promote women's football in a safe and enabling environment and will take all necessary steps to ensure this. The incident in Goa during IWL 2 should not be amplified to undermine the AIFF’s developmental efforts in women’s football. The particular case has now been referred to the Disciplinary Committee and will be taken up emergently."

Meanwhile, the AIFF said it has taken necessary steps to ensure the safe passage of the complainants to their hometowns and will continue to provide any support that might be necessary.