An anti-racist group of members of the European Parliament have accused the global sports community, including the International Olympic Committee (IOC), of having “institutional structures and rules that exclude people of colour and Black women specifically.”
In a letter to Thomas Bach and Sebastian Coe, presidents of the IOC and World Athletics, the Anti-Racism and Diversity Intergroup of the European Parliament said that the International Swimming Federation’s (FINA) effective banning of the Soul Cap at international tournaments, including the Olympics, “reflects stigmatisation of Black hair and leads to institutional inequalities, especially targeting Black women.” Soul Cap, a UK-based brand, said that FINA refused to approve the swim caps designed for “thick, curly, and voluminous hair” because they do not “follow the natural form of the head,” the company told the BBC.