Powerlifter Keyaa Banerji Speaks Out After Silver Medal Win Triggers Waves of Cyber Harassment and Deepfakes

Indian powerlifter Keyaa Kunal Banerji, who recently clinched a silver medal in the deadlift at the prestigious 2026 IPF World Sub-Junior & Junior Classic Powerlifting Championships, has revealed a disturbing onslaught of online harassment and deepfake abuse since her return. The 21-year-old athlete's triumph has been marred by a torrent of sexually explicit deepfake images and hateful comments, forcing her to speak out against the toxic online environment. Keyaa Banerji Powerlifting: 21-Year-Old Powerlifter Powers India to Historic Silver at IPF World Championships.

Keyaa Banerji Open Up On - Online Sexual Harassment and Deepfakes

Triumph Tarnished by Online Abuse

Banerji's stellar performance saw her secure a silver medal in the deadlift event in the Junior Women's 47kg category, lifting an impressive 140kg at a bodyweight of 45.70kg. The championships, held in Sun City, South Africa, from August 18 to 29, 2026, also saw her achieve a total of 280kg across squat (90kg), bench press (50kg), and deadlift, placing fifth overall in a highly competitive field. However, this moment of national pride quickly turned into a personal nightmare.

In a powerful statement, Banerji described experiencing "online sexual harassment, accounts impersonating me, disturbing conversations surrounding my ethnicity, ancestry and caste, and the Worst - thousands of AI generated images of me with pictures of my body and face morphed and edited in very disturbing ways." She expressed the profound distress of waking up daily to her feed, and those of her acquaintances, flooded with these fake AI pictures. "It's quite unnerving to be waking up everyday to my feed (and the feeds of every single person I know) flooded with these fake AI pictures," Banerji wrote on Instagram.

A Private Life Invaded

Keyaa, who was born on February 16, 2005, has always maintained a private presence on social media, rarely sharing personal pictures. This makes the sudden and widespread dissemination of manipulated images particularly jarring for her. She further revealed that her old private Instagram account, with only 300 followers, was suspended, forcing her to create a new one to regain control over her own narrative.

IPF's Stance on Cyberbullying

The International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) has a clear social media policy that explicitly condemns cyberbullying, harassment, and defamatory content. The policy states that such behaviour will not be tolerated, and swift action, including contacting legal authorities, may be taken to correct disrespectful or abusive content. The IPF also has an Athlete Protection Program designed to prevent abuse and misconduct, which specifically covers cyberbullying through social media, messaging, or any other platform, and prohibits harassment based on identity, performance, or personal characteristics. Athletes, coaches, and officials are expected to represent the sport with the highest level of professionalism, and any incidence of cyberbullying should be reported to the IPF Court of Justice. Neeraj Chopra to Miss Asian Games 2026 After Season-Ending Ankle Injury.

Banerji's brave decision to speak out sheds critical light on the dark side of digital fame and the urgent need for more robust protections for athletes against online abuse, especially deepfake technology. Her experience underscores the ongoing battle many public figures face in safeguarding their digital identities and personal well-being in an increasingly interconnected world.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 04, 2026 03:28 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).