Although fans were overjoyed after Indian athlete Nandini Agasara bagged a bronze medal in the 2023 Asian Games heptathlon, Swapna Barman sparked controversy through her social media post about the gender of her compatriotย
Swapna Barman, a former Asian Games heptathlon gold medalist from India, recently raised concerns about losing her opportunity to win a medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games due to the participation of a transgender athlete. Barman, who secured the gold in the 2018 Jakarta Games, expressed her grievances and sought support through social media.
What is the gender of athlete Nandini Agasara after Swapna Barman calls her a transgender
๐ฝ๐ ๐๐ข๐ก๐ง๐ฅ๐ข๐ฉ๐๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ฌ ๐จ๐ก๐๐ข๐๐๐๐ก๐! Swapna Barman, who finished fourth in the Heptathlon, has alleged that her fellow Indian and Bronze winner Nandini Agasara is transgender and contends that this gives her an unfair advantage in competing in the women's event.
๐ฅโฆ pic.twitter.com/CsM5sJVF8I
— Team India at the Asian Games ๐ฎ๐ณ (@sportwalkmedia) October 2, 2023
How Swapna Barman reacted to her fourth-place finish at the 2023 Asian Games heptathlon?
At the Hangzhou Asian Games, Swapna Barman finished in fourth place in the heptathlon event, narrowly missing out on the bronze medal by just four points. The bronze medal was awarded to her fellow countrywoman, Nandini Agasara, who accumulated a total of 5712 points, while Swapna herself earned 5708 points. It’s worth noting that the heptathlon event at the Hangzhou Asian Games was won by China’s Ninali Zheng, who achieved a remarkable total of 6149 points, while Uzbekistan’s Ekaterina Voronina secured the silver medal with 6056 points.
Following the competition, Swapna Barman took to the social media platform ‘X’ to share a statement that has sparked significant debate. She alleged that the bronze medal-winning athlete was transgender and therefore ineligible to compete in the event. However, Swapna subsequently removed her post. Nandini achieved a personal best by accumulating a total of 5712 points in the heptathlon.
She secured a place on the podium by winning the final event, the 800m race, surpassing Barman. Apart from her victory in the 800m, Nandini also claimed first place in the 200m race, earning her 936 points. Barman, the 2018 gold medalist in the same event, expressed dissatisfaction with the events that transpired on the track.
According to the World Athletics regulations that became effective on March 31 this year, any athlete who has experienced what is termed ‘male puberty’ by World Athletics is ineligible to participate in female world ranking events. This decision sparked controversy on Twitter during the Hangzhou Asian Games, where an India vs. India competition emerged. Swapna, who has requested assistance from the authorities, faced criticism.
It remains intriguing to observe the developments in this situation, especially since the athlete who won the bronze medal in the event is also of Indian nationality but while responding to Barman’s allegations, Agasara asserted her identity as a woman.
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