Britain’s first black Olympic swimmer wants to accept swimming caps for black hair

Alice Dearing, the first black Olympic swimmer in the UK, wants the organizers of the next Games to approve swimming caps that better suit her black hair.

Dearing is one of four blacks to create the Black Swim Association in the UK, which aims to make swimming more accessible to ethnic minorities, and he told the BBC In 2019 he understood why black swimmers would leave him above his hair.

One of the obstacles that many black women face is the way they swim while maintaining the health of their natural hair. Many swimming caps are too small for protective styles, such as braids and locks.

“It sounds ridiculous, but it can be really detrimental to your self-image and confidence when chlorine damages your hair,” Dearing told the BBC, “but it’s even harder for girls with thicker hair than most black girls have.”

The International Swimming Federation (FINA) has denied that Soul Cap, which makes swimming caps designed for black hair, allows Olympic athletes to be allowed to wear the cap in competitions. FINA he said hats are not appropriate because they do not follow the “natural shape of the head”.

After extensive coverage and an online public meeting, FINA contacted Soul Cap to apologize and be accepted for international competition for support, including at the upcoming Olympics.

Dearing told BuzzFeed News that he is hopeful that black pools will eventually be accepted.

“I’m really excited,” he said. “I think this will probably go ahead and be available in international competitions. I really hope so.

“I know a lot of people want to be on the good side of history with this. So, bottom line is that we’re really looking forward to it. “

Dearing said many organizations need to be educated and is happy because they are listening.

“It’s not like throwing it aside like it’s done in the past,” he said. “I’m not insinuating that any organization would do that on purpose, but a few decades ago these things weren’t so common, they weren’t so seen and recognized.”

Dearing said she learned to swim at the age of about 5 when her mother entered competitive swimming at the age of 8 after seeing an advertisement for a local swimming club.

Dearing and her brother took swimming lessons together and said watching the competitions was a family activity.

“We used to record it, we could see it again, it was like a family thing with me, my mother and one of my brothers,” he said.

He advanced a few years and Dearing himself swam in these competitions and qualified for the Tokyo Olympics. Although he finished 19th, his participation is still historic as the first Black swimmer in the UK Team.

Dearing also founded the Black Swimming Association, which aims to encourage and diversify people who swim in the UK. Dearing said he wants to turn the sport around because it has given him so much good in his life.

“I want other people to know that these opportunities are available to them, and they haven’t included anything because of race or because society thinks they should do it,” Dearing said.

Dearing has also become a role model for many. He said it wasn’t something he thought it could be and said it was surreal. “I’m a girl from Birmingham, I’m just a girl from the English Midlands,” she said. “So it’s kind of crazy. You never think you’re in that situation to help influence or inspire or change someone’s life in such a positive way. ”

Although Dearing is one of the few internationally known black swimmers, he said he was not always the only non-white swimmer in the swimming community.

As he got older, he began to hear the whispers of people saying that Blacks did not swim, and people were surprised to see him swim.

“We always laughed at my mother, because she was originally from Ghana, grew up swimming and was a part of her lifestyle,” Dearing said. “This is not just a joke like this that affects people’s lives and affects the choices they make every day. That’s why I’m so enthusiastic.”

Dearing said that although he is not very happy with his Olympic performance, he is receiving messages of support.

“Literally, everyone else is fine for getting there in the first place, for standing up well, and for making these conversations part of something bigger than you, and for advocating for change,” he said.

She is one of the athletes participating in Dearing Procter & Gamble’s Athletes for Good Fund, which donates $ 10,000 to 52 athletes for local community initiatives.

“It’s been so horrible, like so many strangers sent me messages, that I can’t answer too much,” he said. “But you know, I really feel like all these people support and elevate me. And it’s a feeling I’ll never forget, it’s actually very powerful. I am very honored that people have really taken the time to help me. “

Dearing said he hadn’t had a chance to see any live competition at the UK Olympics, but is excited for the Paris Games as he is very close to home.

“Of course I’m angry and I never valued London 2012 while it was around, but to have a second chance with Paris … I’m very excited, thankfully, for that. there is also the opportunity to compete as an athlete. ”