We’ve seen a lot of talk about the swim community lately.
Between FINA’s recent approval and our new partnership with adidas, we’re seeing more and more platforms shining a light on the issues and obstacles faced by Black swimmers.
It’s amazing progress. And with every new conversation in a mainstream publication, we’re inspired and proud to be a part of the sport.
So we were especially excited to hear of Sky Sports’ new swim documentary, ‘Aquaphobia’, an exploration of the myths and inequalities surrounding the UK’s Black and Asian communities.
And with a release during this year’s Black History Month, they couldn’t have picked a better presenter for the series — Olympic swimmer and SOUL CAP partner Alice Dearing, who made history herself when she became the first Black woman to swim for Britain at the 2020 Olympics.
What’s in the documentary?
‘Aquaphobia’ is a four-part series created by Sky Sports and Alice Dearing to investigate the barriers and stereotypes around Black and Asian communities in the world of swimming.
And it starts with a worrying statistic:
According to data from Sport England, more than 90% of Black and Asian adults don’t swim.
Alice Dearing wants to know why — and sets off around the country to hear the first-hand experiences of researchers, athletes, coaches, and campaigners.
Over the course of four episodes, Alice digs deep into the obstacles and challenges faced by the UK’s Black and Asian communities, exploring the historic and societal reasons that are causing a disproportionate number of Black and Asian people to avoid the water — or miss out on competitive success.
Along her travels, Alice speaks to elite Black swimmers like Kevin Burns and Cullen Jones, academic researchers like Dr Tiffany Quash, and the chair of the Black Swimming Association, Danielle Obe — as well as the volunteers and campaigners who are doing their part to raise awareness and create change for under-represented communities in swimming.
What’s that got to do with SOUL CAP?
We’ve been campaigning for diversity in the water for years — often in partnership with Alice Dearing. And with our recent battle to get our inclusive swim cap approved for competitive use, we had a story that we wanted to share.
So we were thrilled to get the chance to sit down with Sky Sports in the SOUL CAP studios and talk about our experiences — from the motivation that started our journey to the struggles we’ve had getting our swim caps accepted.
Where can I watch it?
You can stream Alice Dearing’s new four-part documentary ‘Aquaphobia’ on the Sky Sports website, with the fourth and final episode on its way soon.
And if you’re looking to see the SOUL CAP team in action, you’ll find Michael and Toks featured in a sit-down interview in Episode 3.
