Swapna Barman says goodbye to sport permanently. The gold medalist Heptathlon athlete in the Jakarta Asian Games in 2018 and the Asian Championship in 2017 has not even worn her sports shoes in the last six months after returning from the Hangzhou Asian Games in October last year. 

Despite being plagued by acute back injury Swapna lost to Nandini Agasara, missing the bronze medal by only four points in the finals of the Heptathlon event in the Hangzhou Asian Games. 

The 27-year-old athlete, who never wanted to set focus on the Paris Olympics this year, had a long dream of driving herself for the development of the people of North Bengal especially the young boys and girls from 'Rajbonshi' families. 

In a bid to fulfill her dream, she got attached to a political party also in Jalpaiguri. But finally, her dream was shattered. 

Speaking from her home in Paharpur Jalpaiguri, Swapna, talking with deep anguish, stated, “I was promised by the political party that I would be given the ticket to contest in the forthcoming Parliament election from Jalpaiguri. The assurance was conveyed to me even on the day before the candidate’s name was announced. I came to know on the next day that I was not on their list." 

Swapna continued stating, "I have been the victim of cruel politics and I believe the key reason is that I am from a 'Rajbonshi’ family. The percentage of 'Rajbonshi’ in Jalpaiguri is 53 in Jalpaiguri and you do not know how much they are neglected over the decades. I had dreamed of driving myself for their development, especially through athletics which has given me everything."

Commenting on the athletics in her region Swapna asserted, “I have seen a lot of potential young boys and girls across the district. But you need to have a proper infrastructure to develop them."

She added, "North Bengal does not have a synthetic track and proper infrastructure. We have been deprived of everything over the decades. I thought I would be able to contribute to my society. But now I am extremely depressed and I have decided to quit sport permanently." 

The athlete rued concluding, “Even if I try to start training the potential boys and girls in my area I will not get any administrative support. So, now I have to live with the pain. I do not know what will happen in the future."