Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Black swimmers still under-represented in the pool

Black swimmers still under-represented in the pool

WHEN Alice Dearing earned her ticket to Tokyo 2020 as the first black female swimmer to represent Britain at an Olympics, she spoke of "decades and decades of historical and cultural racism" in the sport.

The 24-year-old student will be only the third black British swimmer ever to compete for an Olympic medal.


"It's a really exciting moment for myself and for black history and black culture," she told reporters.

"At the same time it is such a shame it took as long as 2021 to get to this point."

When it comes to diversity, swimming has a way to go.

In 2019, Swim England revealed to the BBC that only 668 of its 73,000 registered competitive swimmers identified as Black or mixed race.

A 2020 Active Lives survey carried out by Sport England revealed 95 per cent of black adults and 80 per cent of black children in England did not swim.

Britain is not an isolated case. Swimming, particularly at elite level and in nations that bag most of the medals when the Games come around, has long been white-dominated.

According to the USA Swimming Foundation, 64 per cent of the country's African American children, compared to 40 per cent of Caucasian ones, have little-to-no swimming ability.

The figure is 79 per cent among children from households with incomes of less than $50,000.

Access to pools, often involving membership of private clubs, has been one of the big barriers.

"Pools are expensive. Much more expensive than a soccer field or a basketball court," retired US swimmer Matt Biondi, an 11-times Olympic medallist and former world record holder, told Reuters.

"It’s a country club sport, like tennis and golf, and it takes financial resources to develop swimmers. That’s the reality of it."

When Eric 'The Eel' Moussambani of Equatorial Guinea turned up at the 2000 Sydney Olympics for the 100m freestyle, he had previously swum only in a 12 metre hotel pool available between 5 and 6am.

That he finished the distance, albeit in nearly two minutes, was a triumph over adversity not always highlighted in media coverage. He eventually lowered his personal best to under 57 seconds.

Landmarks for diversity

The landmarks for diversity in a core Olympic sport with the second most medal events after track and field have come comparatively recently.

The first black swimmer to win an individual Olympic medal was Curacao-born Enith Brigitha for the Netherlands in 1976 while the first to win gold was Suriname's Anthony Nesty in 1988.

Nesty beat Biondi by one hundredth of a second in that 100m butterfly final in Seoul.

It took until 2004 for Maritza Correia to become the first black female swimmer to win an Olympic medal for the United States.

Compatriot Cullen Jones became the first black male swimmer to hold a world record in swimming in 2008, while Simone Manuel in 2016 was the first African-American woman to win Olympic swimming gold.

Manuel, who will be swimming in Tokyo, said in Rio she had felt the weight of history on her shoulders and paid tribute to those who had gone before.

"I’m super glad with the fact that I can be an inspiration to others and hopefully diversify the sport," she said.

"At the same time I would like there to be a day where there are more of us and it’s not ‘Simone the Black swimmer’ because the title ‘Black swimmer’ makes it seem like I’m not supposed to be able to win a gold medal, not supposed to be able to break records."

Dearing said she had experienced incidences of racism, including another swimmer's coach referring to her in derogatory words.

She spoke of how struck she had been to see photographs from the 1960s of acid being poured into the pool of a whites-only hotel in the United States after civil rights protesters jumped in.

The Briton is also a co-founder of the Black Swimming Association (BSA), promoting water safety and campaigning to make swimming more inclusive and accessible.

Dearing said generations of black families had grown up convinced the best form of safety was to stay away from the water rather than learning to swim, and it was important to change that.

The campaigning also extends to the use of caps designed for bigger hair styles, currently not allowed in competition but under review by world body FINA after criticism in the run-up to Tokyo.

"I am really hoping that things can start to move forward and people can look at swimming and think it's not just a sport meant for people of a certain race," said Dearing. "It's inclusive and black people can swim."

(Reuters)

More For You

KKR vs SRH

The two teams have met 28 times in IPL history so far

Getty

IPL 2025: KKR vs SRH - High-stakes Eden Gardens clash promises fireworks

The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will lock horns with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 on Thursday at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. This match marks a crucial point in the season for both sides, as they look to bounce back after a slow start.

KKR and SRH, last season’s finalists, have managed just one victory each from their first three matches this season. With both teams desperate to gain momentum, this encounter promises to be a thrilling contest.

Keep ReadingShow less
Messi set to return to India after 14 years for exhibition match in Kerala

Lionel Messi in action against Venezuela in Kolkata in 2011

Messi set to return to India after 14 years for exhibition match in Kerala

LIONEL MESSI and the Argentina national team will visit Kerala in south India for an exhibition match in October.

It will mark Messi’s return to the country 14 years after his first visit.

Keep ReadingShow less
Prabhsimran-Singh-Getty

Prabhsimran Singh scored 69 off 34 balls.

Getty Images

Punjab secure second IPL win with Prabhsimran’s quickfire 69

Wicketkeeper-batsman Prabhsimran Singh struck 69 off 34 balls as Punjab Kings defeated Lucknow Super Giants by eight wickets on Tuesday, securing their second win of the IPL season.

Chasing a target of 172, Punjab reached the total with nearly four overs to spare. Captain Shreyas Iyer remained unbeaten on 52 off 30 balls.

Keep ReadingShow less
IPL 2025: RCB vs GT – Bengaluru Braces for High-Voltage Battle

Out of the 5 encounters between the two teams, RCB has won 3, while GT has secured 2 victories so far

Getty

IPL 2025 - RCB vs GT: Bengaluru prepares for a high-voltage encounter

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 is set to heat up as Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) takes on Gujarat Titans (GT) in the 14th match of the season at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on April 2nd. This exciting encounter brings together two teams in top form, with both having a win and a loss under their belt. However, RCB, with their unbeaten record so far in the tournament, enters the contest with more confidence.

RCB’s form and strength

RCB has been nothing short of dominant in their first two matches of the season. They have put on stellar performances, especially with their commanding victories over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK). In their last match against KKR, RCB chased down a target of 175 runs with ease, reaching the target in just 16.2 overs with seven wickets to spare. Their victory over CSK was even more impressive, as they handed the three-time champions their biggest home defeat in terms of runs. With two wins and a positive net run rate of +2.266, RCB’s well-balanced squad, including Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, and Josh Hazlewood, is primed for another thrilling victory.

Keep ReadingShow less
Lucknow Hosts Punjab in First Home Game of the Season

Fans can expect a nail-biting finish

Getty

IPL 2025 - LSG vs PBKS: Lucknow to host Punjab in first home game of the season

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 continues to build momentum, and on April 1, fans can expect a thrilling encounter as Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) host Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. This exciting fixture marks LSG's first home game of the season, and with both teams coming off strong performances, the match promises to be an intense showdown.

LSG, led by the young and dynamic Rishabh Pant, have had a mixed start to the season, with one win and one loss. In contrast, PBKS, under the leadership of Shreyas Iyer, will be looking to maintain their winning streak after their solid victory in their opening game. The stage is set for a thrilling battle, and all eyes will be on the key players who could turn the tide.

Keep ReadingShow less