FINA’s ‘Soul Cap’ Debacle and Systemic Racism
On several occasions, during the past several months we have addressed the thorny issue of the growing realisation at a global level of the pervasive nature of systemic racism in today’s world.
There remains the old adage, ‘who feels it knows it’. Unfortunately, we do not take this saying seriously all of the time, being too eager perhaps, to let others off the hook.
Systemic racism is real, and it is everywhere. The time has obviously come for us to stand up and let our voices be heard in respect of the continued cruelty wrought upon peoples of colour around the world who continue to be discriminated against because of their differences.
The most recent decision of the international governing body for the sport of Aquatics, FINA, to ban the innovative ‘soul cap’ from competition and in particular, from this year’s Olympics, has forced astute followers of sport and racism to stand up in defiance.
What are Soul Caps?
For years the complaint of black girls and women with voluminous hair has been about the damage done by the chemicals used in the swimming pools viz-a-viz the nature of their hair and how much the combination differs for black women as against their white counterparts.
Two young men in the UK took on board the frustration and expense for black women, in particular, associated with the sport of swimming. The result was the development of the ‘soul cap’.
FINA’s response
Given the international climate for change and the empowerment of black people, especially in the wake of the ‘Me Too’ and latterly, the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movements that continue to shake the very foundations of global society, one would have thought that FINA would have been sensitive enough to navigate the emergence and growing popularity of the soul cap.
However, consistent with our analysis in several earlier Columns, international sports federations remain the purview of the wealthy around the world as one of the most nefarious frontiers of class dominance. Not surprisingly, therefore, FINA opted to ban the soul cap, displaying arrogance, declaring its ruling to the world.
Sadly, in announcing its decision, FINA unashamedly declared in part, that the cap does not “fit the natural form of the head” and again, to their “best knowledge the athletes competing at the international events never used, neither require … caps of such size and configuration.”
The aforementioned comments alone reflect the incredible insensitivity of what constitutes an international sports federation.
Global responses
The global responses have been swift. This is to be expected.
Samanth Subramanian, in an article entitled, Looking into the Future of Capitalism, dated 1 July 2021, stated in part, “FINA’s refusal to recognize the diversity of hair types echoes a long history of prejudice in swimming. Racial stereotypes dogged the sport; through much of the 20th century in the US, for instance, a common stereotype held that Black people had “less buoyant” bones and were therefore liable to struggle in water.
“Social and economic discrimination played a role as well. Until the early 1950s, municipal pools in many parts of the US were segregated by race. In one infamous incident, when civil-rights protestors jumped into a whites-only pool in Florida as part of a “swim-in,” the pool’s owner poured acid into the water to try to force them out.
“Even after segregation ended, Black swimmers often suffered by not having access to the better swim facilities—and coaching—of private recreational clubs. Jim Ellis, who started an all-Black swim club in Philadelphia in 1972, has also recounted in interviews how his team would sometimes be barred from the hotels where other clubs stayed during swim meets, and how they were sometimes the victim of prejudiced scoring.
“In the UK, too, the sport disproportionately lacks Black swimmers. Government figures reveal that 95% of Black adults do not swim at all. Only 1% of swimmers registered with Sport England, a governing body, identify as Black or mixed race.”
SVG Swimming
On 2 July, President of the local swimming governing body, Stephen Joachim, penned a piece on the matter that was sent to the international, regional, and continental swimming organisations, that read in part, “We have serious issues with black female swimmers leaving the sport because of hair issues. The decision referred to below needs to be re-visited please. We can’t be chasing away our black females because of ignorance of the scientific fact of hair differences…This is NOT a trivial issue.”
Joachim appealed to the global swim fraternity “to please stand-up and fight against what seems to me to be a gross injustice. The only reason to consider banning a cap should be if it gives an unfair advantage to a swimmer…PLEASE, LET’S TRY TO BE INCLUSIVE AND CONSIDERATE. We have a new FINA executive, and it would be great to see that they are listening to our concerns in a more constructive manner than the previous.”
Joachim ended with an appeal, “It is my hope that other Federations would also express their opinions. We in the Caribbean are predominantly black societies. We need to support our swimmers please. This ban by FINA helps to reinforce another negative impact of being Black. Let’s try to do better PLEASE!!!!”
The St. Vincent and the Grenadines Olympic Committee also added its voice on 2 July 2021 and directed its comments at the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and indeed, to the entire Olympic Family. Its communication reads in part, “The St Vincent and the Grenadines Olympic Committee (SVGOC) has been apprised by its member federation, the St Vincent and the Grenadines Swimming Federation (SVGASA) of FINA’s decision in respect of banning the so-called, ‘Soul Cap’ from competition.
“Our understanding of the Fundamental Principles of the IOC’s Charter speaks to a vehement rejection of discrimination of any sort in the field of sport. 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.
“Indeed, there is no scientific basis on which to justify FINA’s action. That FINA dares to state that the ‘Soul Cap’ does not follow “the natural form of the head” must be seen for the discrimination that it really is. It exposes the organisation’s seemingly inherent bias. There was never any determination that swim caps should follow” the natural form of the head”. Indeed, we must as of FINA, whose head are they using as their yardstick in this matter?
“We are aware that sport, as an institution in society, reflects the beliefs and values of society. In today’s world, we continue to see signs of a resurgence of systemic racism evidenced in newer yet sinister forms. Our analysis suggests very strongly that the decision of FINA to ban the ‘Soul Caps’ falls within the growing tendency to infringe on the rights of individual athletes of a particular ethnic grouping which has been using it for their unique circumstances.”
“We, therefore, request an urgent analysis of the situation and urge the rejection of the decision by FINA, thereby ensuring that it is not implemented at this year’s Olympics and in the sport itself under any circumstance.”
FINA’s response
FINA’s rather timid initial responses have been to hide in the shadow of its “principles that the organisation “shall not allow any discrimination against national federations or individuals (competitors, officials, judges, delegates, etc.) on the grounds of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or political affiliations, languages or abilities.”
The organisation also stated that it is “considering the matter and discussing with the entire FINA family so as to appreciate the voice of the entire aquatics community.”
International pressure
Racism is evident in almost all sports.
There are historical accounts of the endemic nature of racism in sport.
Unfortunately, too much of the racism in sport has been covered up by those in authority.
We have, in this Column, often recounted the growth of overt racism in sport around the world and many of the perpetrators have escaped with impunity. This has to stop.
Enough!
The fact is that for the first time in global sporting history, small countries have taken the challenge to the international sports fraternity. This may have been something of a surprise since it is often the case that international federations only see the larger, more financially influential members as being of any significance.
The current situation needs to change. It is not enough to merely repeat the now hackneyed phrase, ‘change or be changed’. Change is inevitable and can be driven by anyone or an organisation. It is not immutable that only one ethnic group or wealthy organisations and individuals have some divine right to initiate and effect the change that impacts the world. George Floyd was perhaps the most unlikely person, while alive, to have engendered the global impact that he did. There may yet be many more on whom the challenge may yet fall.
The time has come for sporting organisations to understand the nature of international sport and the consistency of their mode of operations with the historic experiences of conquest and colonisation.
There is an urgent need for small countries to build greater awareness amongst themselves and commit to the crafting of a new international sports order where the fundamental principles and values promoted when discussing sport are genuinely allowed to impact adherents, participants, and those they engage and influence.
The old order is now a spent force.
Sport must cease being used as a palliative for the oppressed peoples of the world, allowing the successors of the conquistadors to continue pursuit of their insidious objectives.
