Indian athlete Swapna Barman alleges transgender athlete robbed her of Asian Games medal
Barman, who won gold in 2018, finished fourth in Hangzhou, narrowly missing out on bronze by four points
After failing to defend her Asian Games heptathlon crown in Hangzhou, China, on Sunday, Indian athlete Swapna Barman stirred a social media debate on Monday by asserting that a transgender lady stole her opportunity to win a medal.**
Barman, who took home the event's gold medal at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, placed fourth in Hangzhou with 5708 points, just four points shy of the bronze. Her fellow countrywoman Nandini Agasara, who totaled 5712 points, took third place.
Barman posted her accusations on social media a day after the contest, albeit she omitted to identify her event rival in the post.
"A transgender woman won the bronze medal I had won at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. Given that it is against our Athletics' guidelines, I want my medal returned. Please support and assist me. She tweeted, "#protestforfairplay," but eventually removed it.
Social media users are debating Barman's accusations, with some defending her and others attacking her for making them.
Barman's assertions have not been proven, according to some, while others have suggested that she should have brought them up with the contest administrators before going public.
The Indian athlete who took home the bronze in the heptathlon, Nandini Agasara, has denied being transgender. She has stated that she is a female athlete and that throughout her career, she has participated in female tournaments.
Transgender athletes are subject to World Athletics policy.
The track and field's governing organization, World Athletics, adopted a transgender athlete policy in 2019.
The rule stipulates that transsexual women must suppress their testosterone levels to below 5 nmol/L for at least a year in order to participate in female events.
Some have blasted the regulation as being discriminatory, while World Athletics has defended it, claiming that it is required to maintain fair competition.
Consequences of Barman's accusations
The charges made by Barman have serious repercussions for transgender athletes competing in sports.
Notably, there is no proof that transgender athletes have an undue advantage over cisgender competitors.
However, because transgender athletes are already ostracized in society, Barman's accusations can have a negative effect on them.
If Barman's accusations are believed, transgender athletes might be completely banned from competition.
The topic of transgender athletes doing sports should be discussed in a civil and inclusive manner.
Regardless of their gender identity, we must find solutions to guarantee that all athletes have the chance to compete fairly.
