Asian Games: Swapna Burman alleges she 'lost her bronze medal' to fellow 'transgender' competitor

Swapna Barman won the gold medal in the 2018 Asian Games held in Jakarta in Indonesia. Her presumably deleted post came up after the controversy involving fellow athlete Jyothi Yarraji erupted on Sunday.

Hyderabad: 26-year-old Indian heptathlete Swapna Burman, a former Asian Games gold medallist, on Monday alleged that she lost a bronze medal in the ongoing Asian Games to a "transgender athlete".

"I have lost my Asian Games bronze medal to a transgender woman 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," Burman had posted on X, formerly known on Twitter.

However, the post was later presumably deleted by her. During the ongoing Asian Games in Hangzhou in China, Swapna Burman finished fourth in the heptathlon event. She missed out on a bronze medal by a very thin margin by four points. She lost the bronze medal to her fellow Indian athlete Nandini Agasara. While Nandini grabbed 5712 points, Swapna, who hails from West Bengal, finished with 5708 points.

In the heptathlon event during the ongoing Asian Games, Chinese athlete Ninali Zheng bagged the coveted gold medal with 6149 points while Ekaterina Voronina from Uzbekistan won the silver medal with 6056 points. So far, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI), the Union Sports Ministry, the Sports Authority of India or Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur is yet to respond to the allegations made by Swapna Burman.

Swapna Barman won the gold medal in the 2018 Asian Games held in Jakarta in Indonesia. Her presumably deleted post came up after the controversy involving fellow athlete Jyothi Yarraji erupted on Sunday.