Indian powerlifter Keyaa Kunal Banerji’s outstanding efficiency on the 2026 IPF World Sub-Junior & Junior Basic Powerlifting Championships introduced her into the highlight after she lifted 140kg within the deadlift to win a silver medal for India. However the 21-year-old athlete has now revealed that the eye following her achievement has additionally introduced a deeply disturbing aspect of social media- together with on-line sexual harassment, impersonation and 1000’s of AI-generated photographs made utilizing her face and physique.Banerji, who competes within the junior ladies’s 47kg class, spoke about her expertise by way of her Instagram Tales.“I not too long ago gained a deadlift silver medal at IPF Jr Worlds for India and whereas I admire the help and recognition, as an Indian feminine athlete I’ve additionally needed to cope with,” she wrote, itemizing sexual harassment on-line, accounts impersonating her and “disturbing conversations surrounding my ethnicity, ancestry and caste”.She mentioned essentially the most distressing half had been the circulation of manipulated photographs created utilizing synthetic intelligence. “And the worst- 1000’s of AI generated photographs of me with footage of my physique and face morphed and edited in very disturbing methods,” Banerji wrote.She mentioned the dimensions of the abuse had made the expertise significantly unsettling. “It’s fairly unnerving to be waking up on a regular basis to my feed (and the feeds of each single individual I do know) flooded with these faux AI footage,” she mentioned.
Keyaa Banerji gained a silver medal with a 140kg deadlift on the 2026 IPF World Sub-Junior & Junior Basic Powerlifting Championships.
‘I by no means posted footage on it’
Banerji mentioned the scenario was significantly troublesome as a result of she had all the time most well-liked to maintain her private life away from social media. “I’ve all the time been a non-public individual and in case you’ve identified me in any capability / adopted my previous account you’d know I by no means posted footage on it both!” she wrote.In accordance with Banerji, her previous Instagram account was additionally suspended. She described it as a non-public account with round 300 followers and mentioned the expertise left her feeling that she had little selection however to create a brand new public account. She added she wished to make sure that she had some management over how her achievement and identification have been being represented on-line. “I did not wish to make it public however I am left with no selection if I wish to have a say in a story about my very own sport and accomplishment and rise up for myself with out getting my account suspended once more!” she wrote.
‘The aim of my sport in my life is simply to problem myself’
Amid the sudden consideration, Banerji burdened that her motivation for powerlifting had by no means been fame or social media visibility. “The aim of my sport in my life is simply to problem myself in a enjoyable means and I am grateful to be competing on the degree that I’m,” she mentioned. She added that she had by no means wished the sort of on-line visibility that adopted her efficiency. “I by no means wished to see myself in all places like this, in-fact I actually despised all these AI posters popping up with out my consent,” Banerji wrote.Her unique intention after the World Championships, she mentioned, was merely to share the achievement with folks near her. “Initially, I simply wished to share this accomplishment with my shut family and friends,” she mentioned.
Keyaa Banerji addressed the problem by way of a sequence of Instagram tales.
‘I simply wish to exist as a lady who likes to deadlift’
Banerji subsequently requested folks enthusiastic about following her journey to make use of her new account reasonably than looking for or sharing faux variations of her on-line. “In the event you’re curious to know extra about Worlds and my expertise – I will be completely satisfied to share, let’s please do it in a means that is conscious of my psychological well being!” Banerji mentioned.For the younger athlete, the problem goes past the photographs themselves. It is usually about how she desires to be seen- as an athlete and a person reasonably than as an object of on-line scrutiny. “I simply desire a area the place I can exist as a lady who likes to deadlift and never a picture that is been pulled aside again and again that feels so inauthentic to me,” she wrote.In one other Story, Banerji acknowledged that the eye surrounding her achievement had begun to overshadow what ought to have been a celebratory second. “Plenty of the eye has been overwhelming and in methods I’ve let it overpower the enjoyment and whimsy that comes with an enormous win!” she wrote.Banerji’s feedback come days after her 140kg deadlift on the World Championships attracted widespread consideration on-line. Her efficiency had grow to be a uncommon viral second for Indian powerlifting, with social media customers sharing clips of the carry and celebrating her power.However Banerji’s newest posts underline the uncomfortable actuality that larger visibility can even expose feminine athletes to harassment, impersonation and the misuse of their photographs. For now, her message is much less about searching for extra consideration and extra about reclaiming management over the eye she has already acquired. Her demand, she made clear, is an easy one: to have the ability to have a good time her sport on her personal phrases.
