BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - THE St. Vincent and the Grenadines Olympic Committee (SV GOC) has criticised the International Olympic Committee and the International Swimming Federation, FINA, for the recent ban on ‘Soul Cap’ at this month’s Olympic Games in Japan.
FINA, the world governing body for swimming, banned the use of the ‘Soul Cap’ at the games, highlighting that it is not suitable since it does not follow the natural form of the head.
The body, in a media statement, said it “is committed to ensuring that all aquatics athletes have access to appropriate swimwear for competition where this swimwear does not confer a competitive advantage. FINA is currently reviewing the situation with regards to ‘Soul Cap’ and similar products, understanding the importance of inclusivity and representation”.
But those words are not sitting well with the SVGOC, since it is predominantly black swimmers who use the cap during competitions, and would be disadvantaged.
In a letter to the IOC, the Kingstown-based committee said that based on the understanding of the fundamental principles of the IOC charter, it speaks to a “rejection of discrimination of any sort in the field of sport”.
However, the St. Vincent and the Grenadines body believes the ban breaches those principles.
“Unfortunately, our interpretation of the aforementioned ban on a cap that adequately addresses the hair and hairstyles of black athletes in particular, constitutes a breach of the fundamental principles of the Olympic Movement,” the SVGOC wrote.
According to reports, the cap is meant to protect natural black hair from being affected while the athletes compete, especially black athletes.
FINA noted that there is no restriction on ‘Soul Cap’ swim caps for recreational and teaching purposes. But the SVGOC lamented that there is no scientific basis on which to justify FINA’s decision.
“That FINA dares to state that the ‘Soul Cap’ does not follow ‘the natural form of the head’ must be seen as discrimination that it really is,” the statement said, adding that, “It exposes the organisation’s inherent bias.”
FINA said it would speak with the manufacturer of the ‘Soul Cap’ about utilising their products through the FINA Development Centres.
The governing body expects to make its consideration of ‘Soul Cap’ and similar products part of wider initiatives aimed at ensuring there are no barriers to participation in swimming.
