India's star heptathlon athlete Swapna Barman faced significant backlash after a controversial ‘transgender’ comment made about fellow Indian competitor, Nandini Agasara, during the recent Asian Games. Barman, who had previously won a Gold medal, expressed her disappointment and frustration by placing fourth, particularly when she finished right behind Agasara, who secured her first Asian Games medal.
Barman's frustrations spilled onto the social media platform X (previously known as Twitter), where she insinuated that she had lost her bronze medal to a 'transgender athlete'. This unexpected revelation quickly caught fire, generating a whirlwind of reactions and debates among netizens. Her original post on stated, "I have lost my Asian Games bronze medal to transgender women at the 19th Asian Games held in Hangzhou, China. I want my medal back as it is against the rules of our athletics. Help me and support me please. #protestforfairplay." Recognizing the potential fallout from her statement, Barman deleted the post later that day on October 2.
Realising the sensitivity of the issue, on October 5, Swapna Barman publicly apologized for her controversial remarks. She stated, "I wish to tender my unconditional apology for my tweet the other day, especially to my co-athlete. It was the sheer disappointment and momentous emotional outburst which made me react in this manner against the ethos of sports. I deeply feel sorry for everyone for my emotional reaction."
In a conversation with India Today, Barman hinted at her skepticism towards Agasara's rapid progress, mentioning the improbability of such enhanced performance in just a short span of four months. Barman's hopes of securing a silver medal at the Games seemed plausible after her impressive start in the 100 m hurdles. However, her prospects dimmed after stumbling in the high jump event and further deteriorating during the shot put.
In a nail-biting conclusion, Agasara bagged the bronze with a total of 5712 points, surpassing Barman by a mere four points after the conclusion of the eight events in the women's heptathlon segment at the Hangzhou Asian Games.
Responding to Barman's accusations, Nandini Agasara fervently denied the allegations surrounding her gender identity. She challenged Barman to produce evidence supporting her claim. A determined Agasara expressed her unwavering commitment to representing India, asserting, "I know what I am. Ask her to show proof. I will also show that I have won the medal for India. I only want to do well for the country." She also expressed her intent to discuss this matter with the Athletics Federation of India. Despite the victory's sweet taste, Agasara revealed her intent to return to India due to her mother's deteriorating health.
MORE ON SPORTS TAK:
Asian Games 2023: India's star wrestler Antim Panghal scorches with bronze after routing Mongolian in women's freestyle
Watch: Ecstatic and emotional HS Prannoy falls on the court, removes and hurls his jersey before dancing with joy after securing medal in badminton
Asian Games 2023: Dipika Pallikal, Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu secure India's 20th gold medal after victorious mixed doubles final
Asian Games 2023: India clinches 19th gold medal after Jyothi-Aditi-Parneet troika beat Chinese Taipei in women's compound team final
ODI World Cup: Replay, rewind and revisit the thrilling tournament openers of the past five editions
Missing ODI World Cup due to injury, Pakistan pacer Naseem Shah undergoes successful shoulder surgery; shares update
ICC World Cup 2023: A look at England vs New Zealand Head-to-Head record and last five encounters
