Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in a Swimming Cap
Does it really take this long to do what’s obviously right?! The international federation that administers swimming competitions has approved a swimming cap designed for Black swimmers' natural hair. Read the full details here.
To support diversity, equity and inclusion in the water, the Soul Cap brand makes inclusive swimming caps that are designed for all hair-types but their caps were banned at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
The last two years have been filled with global social movements and events such as black-lives matter (BLM), fostering Diversity Equity inclusion & Belonging (DEIB) at work and school, the women’s beach volleyball uniform protests, gender-equity pay for women’s soccer and so on. As a result, you would think that something as small as allowing an inclusive swimming cap wouldn’t be such a big deal but apparently it is.
Does it really take a formal review to consider these caps? The Olympics is open to all athletes who can qualify. Why wasn't the federation proactive to notice that their policies and regulations don’t support all swimmers in participating equitably in this sport? Did they not learn from the two years of conversations and work around the world wide on being more equitable and inclusive? It makes me wonder what other policies exclude other diverse athletes and how many other sports have the same issues. What are the Olympic committees doing about being proactive to fix regulations to support the diversity of athletes?
Yes, it’s great to see that the administrators made the right decision but it is too late for when it would have mattered the most; the Olympics, a global stage filled with diverse athletes from around the world. What a missed opportunity for the federation to make a great brand statement in sports!
Brands, be pro-active and anticipate your client’s needs!