Indian racewalker Priyanka Goswami has faced criticism online following a video that showed her enjoying air conditioning at the Olympic Village. The 28-year-old athlete, who finished 41st in the women’s 20km race walk at the Paris Olympics, has been targeted by trolls after her performance.
The controversy intensified after Goswami posted a video on Instagram Reels showing her replacing the fan provided to athletes with an air conditioner. In the video, she turns on the AC and lies down to sleep. This led to social media outrage, with many arguing that athletes should focus on their sport rather than sharing such content online.
“I think she should focus more on sports than making Reels because she is getting trained on taxpayers’ money,” X user Veena Jain wrote, sharing the video. She also noted that Goswami had trained in Switzerland.
Watch:
She is Priyanka Goswami – Athlete (20 km walk)
Out of 43 she came 41
She Trains in Switzerland 🇨🇭 & work in Indian Railways
I think she should Focus more on Sports than making Reels because she is getting trained on Tax Payers money#Paris2024 #Olympics2024Paris pic.twitter.com/GeoRNWWtD6
— Veena Jain (@DrJain21) August 3, 2024
Jain’s post criticizing Goswami has gone viral, amassing over 1.8 million views. While some agreed with Jain, others defended the athlete. Many pointed out that merely qualifying for the Olympics is a significant achievement.
Here’s how some users reacted on social media:
“Looks like influencer and not a serious athlete,” one user commented. “Rather than an athlete, she is there just for holidays! So, yes she deserves this trolling,” another added.
However, numerous supporters highlighted Goswami’s accomplishments, including her silver medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. “She’s 41st out of 795 crore people in the world. That’s what it takes to become an Olympic athlete. It’s open for everyone, have you tried playing a sport professionally?” one user responded.
“Nonsense ~ she is still first amongst 1.4 billion Indians ~ just mentioning ‘tax’ in the context of ‘results’ at the Olympics is appalling,” said Vivek Wagh.
Another user emphasized, “Point is she’s qualified for the Olympics and not any housing society tournament. That itself is a huge achievement. Really sad to see such comments on her.”
One person questioned why Goswami trained in Switzerland, “What kind of special ground does Switzerland have that is not available anywhere else. This is a walking sport?”
Business Insider explains that athletes often train at higher altitudes, such as in Switzerland, because the thinner air forces their bodies to work harder.