Soul Cap Gets Approved for Competitions After Olympics Ban

Swim caps approved by FINA had been made for people with shorter or thinner hair, making them an impediment for swimmers with “thick, curly or volume-blessed hair,” the brand said.

“We want to see swimming become an accessible sport, with equipment and swimwear that lets anyone get involved and see success,” the statement said.

The brand called the approval “a huge step in the right direction.”

Advocates said the battle was about more than just swimwear; it was also about the broader cultural acceptance of Black hair.

California became the first state to ban natural hair discrimination in 2019. Similar legislation passed in several other states, including New York, Delaware and Nebraska, preventing employers and public schools from banning hairstyles such as cornrows or penalizing employees and student-athletes for styling their hair in culturally specific ways.

Alice Dearing, the first Black female swimmer to represent Britain at the Olympics, said in an opinion piece for The Guardian on Friday that FINA’s rejection of the Soul Cap last year sent the “wrong message” to swimmers: that the sport can only accommodate a certain version of yourself.

“Hair can be a huge logistical barrier to entering the pool for some communities,” Ms. Dearing said. “Managing my hair to be able to swim has been a difficult and confidence-diminishing part of my career.”

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/06/sports/soul-cap-swimming-fina.html