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attributed to him, Luke Hutson Flynn
Alice Dearing, portrayed in a spirit hat, will be the first black woman to represent Britain in the Olympic swimming competition
The International Swimming Federation (FINA) has announced that it is reviewing its recent decision not to certify a cap designed specifically for black swimmers, which is produced by Soul Cap. Failure to obtain the certificate prevents the item from being used in international competitions such as the Tokyo Olympics.
“Fina is committed to ensuring that all sportive athletes have access to appropriate competition swimwear, and to ensure that these items do not constitute a competitive advantage,” the federation said in a statement.
Soul Cap produces swim caps that protect braids, afros, wefts, hair extensions, braids and thick, curly hair. Black hair tends to be drier naturally, and chlorine used in swimming pools can cause it to dry out even more and damage it. The cover was developed taking into account these characteristics.
A young swimmer said she was “heartbroken but not surprised” by the decision. Kejay Terilong, 17, told BBC 1 Newsbeat that taking care of her hair is one of the many barriers she faces as a black swimmer.
“I wore the smallest headgear that everyone would wear – it fits my head, but how do I apply the oil [protetor] In my hair, when I was swimming, it just slipped, and my hair got wet.”
Hats can ‘reduce barriers’
attributed to him, Science Photo Library
Data from Swim England show that the proportion of children swimming in England is lower among blacks than among whites.
In England, the national body dedicated to swimming, Swim England, issued a statement to “reassure the people” that Soul Caps are allowed in domestic competitions. Swim England added that it would take its “concerns” about Veena’s rejection “through appropriate channels”.
“Swimming caps designed for Afro hair can reduce barriers to exercise for under-represented groups, such as blacks,” the organization says.
According to the Sport England report issued in January 2020, in England, about 29.3% of white children swim, while this figure is 21.9% among Asian children and 20.1% among black children.
Soul Cap founders Michael Chapman and Tokes Ahmed Salahuddin said they are grateful for the support they received after Fina rejected the cap they produce.
They say they grew up not knowing how to swim because they don’t think this is a “sport for us”. “This was not something common among our friends and was not encouraged by the school or parents.”
In 2017, they decided to take lessons together – they met a black woman who complained about the size of her swimming cap. They reported, “After talking to our mothers, sisters, and friends and noticing that there were no suitable swimwear for swimmers with afro hair, braids, braids, or any type of thick hair, we decided to create our own.”
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