{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://watsoncoleman.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/co-chairs-of-the-congressional-caucus-on-black-women-and-girls-send-letter-to-international-olympic-committee-on-treatment-of-black-women", "Co-chairs of the Congressional Caucus on Black Women and Girls Send Letter to International Olympic Committee on Treatment of Black Women", "2021-07-22", "2021", "2021-07", "Democrat", "House", "NJ", "Bonnie Watson Coleman", "W000822", "watsoncoleman.house.gov", "watsoncoleman", "https://watsoncoleman.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "Today, co-chairs of the Congressional Caucus on Black Women and Girls, Congresswomen Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09), and Robin Kelly (IL-02) sent a letter to the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in response to the high level of scrutiny and penalization that has disproportionately impacted Black women during the 2021 Summer Olympic Games trials. In the letter, the co-chairs request the IOC to re-evaluate its current policies and standards in consideration of diversity of cultures, races, ethnicity, and socio-economic backgrounds; with particular consideration of the disparate impact the current policies have on women of the African diaspora.\n\n\u201cIn consideration of your stated mission \u201cto act against any form of discrimination affecting the Olympic Movement;\u201d and \u201cto encourage and support initiatives blending sport with culture and education;\u201d we ask the International Olympic Committee to address the lack of racially-based inclusiveness that has been demonstrated by these two international federations\u201d the co-chairs wrote. \u201cAs the mission statement specifically calls out the support of \u201cthe promotion of women in sport at all levels and in all structures with a view to implementing the principle of equality of men and women,\u201d it should also seek to do so based on cultural, racial, and socio-economic backgrounds.\u201d\n\n\u201cBlack women athletes consistently blaze trails at the Olympics, breaking world records and pushing the standards for performance ever higher. However, Black women have also been subject to high levels of scrutiny, low levels of support, and disproportionate levels of punitive action against them, most recently witnessed during the 2021 Olympic trials,\u201d said Congresswoman Watson Coleman. \u201cThe International Olympic Committee must ensure that the standards and requirements that they set forth as a part of their mission statement are inclusive and support the diversity that is so integral to the Olympic spirit. Black women and girls continue to face unique challenges and barriers as they move through society, and the Congressional Caucus on Black Women and Girls is committed to ensuring that their stories and struggles are heard and addressed. It\u2019s time for change.\u201d\n\n\"The Olympic Games are a coveted opportunity for athletes of various backgrounds and ethnicities to demonstrate more than their talents; it is a platform to display culture and community on a worldwide stage. Regretfully, the International Olympic Committee\u2019s recent biased, exclusionary actions continue to disproportionately impede Black women from reaching their deserved success. Moreover, it violates the spirit of the Olympics,\" said Congresswoman Clarke. \u201cOur unyielding focus as co-chairs of the Congressional Caucus on Black Women and Girls remains with supporting Black women, anywhere and everywhere, full stop. We call upon the IOC to immediately address and reevaluate these harmful and divisive policies.\u201d\n\n\u201cBlack women account for some of the most successful and talented Olympic athletes in history,\u201d said Congresswoman Kelly. \u201cThe disproportionate level of unfair scrutiny that has been placed on these women throughout the 2021 Olympic trials is completely unacceptable. Black women deserve to be treated with the same respect as other Olympians. We urge the International Olympic Committee to re-evaluate its policies and create a more inclusive and fairer Olympic environment for all athletes.\u201d\n\nThe full text of the House letter can be found below:\n\nThomas Bach\n\nPresident\n\nThe International Olympic Committee (IOC)\n\nMaison Olympique\n\n1007 Lausanne\n\nSwitzerland\n\nDear Thomas Bach,\n\nWe write to you to express our concern regarding the level of scrutiny and penalization that is disproportionately impacting Black women in their journeys to the 2021 Summer Olympic Games.\n\nRecently, there have been two specific incidents that have been in direct violation of the International Olympic Committee\u2019s mission statement. First, the governing body for aquatic sports, the International Swimming Federation (FINA), refused to approve the use of a swimming cap (\u201cSoul Cap\u201d) designed to accommodate natural Black hair during international competitions. Second, the World Athletics ruled two Namibian sprinters as ineligible to compete due to naturally occurring testosterone levels. These acts are in addition to the general harassment and abuse that Black women have withstood to achieve such incredible feats of athleticism.\n\nWomen of the African diaspora have notably been the overwhelming recipients of bias and discriminatory policies that have challenged the very definition of what is deemed \u201cnatural,\u201d and therefore, the standard of acceptance in restricted competition. Black women should not be made to feel unnatural because of their naturally occurring biology. Policies that attack, ignore, or fail to accommodate Black women in their natural form is not only disturbing, but is in direct contradiction to the spirit of the Olympic games and specifically, line thirteen of the International Olympic Committee\u2019s mission statement of encouraging and supporting \u201cthe development of the sport for all.\u201d\n\nBlack women have also been criticized and ridiculed for their activism for social justice. A U.S. Olympic hammer-thrower, a Black woman, was heavily criticized for peacefully protesting during the playing of the national anthem during the medal ceremony for the U.S. track and field Olympic trials.\n\nWe are aware that the International Olympic Committee intends to enforce a policy known as Rule 50, which would prevent athletes from protesting or demonstrating at the Tokyo Olympics. In a statement from the IOC, it was stated that \u201cthe Rule strives to ensure that the focus at the Olympic Games remains on the athletes.\u201d Of course, the athletes are not singularly comprised of their athletic prowess: they are more than their physical abilities. They are whole people, with unique human experiences and realities. They are likewise in need of unique wholistic considerations when it comes to standards for decision-making and policy practices.\n\nIn consideration of your stated mission \u201cto act against any form of discrimination affecting the Olympic Movement;\u201d and \u201cto encourage and support initiatives blending sport with culture and education;\u201d we ask The International Olympic Committee to address the lack of racially-based inclusiveness that has been demonstrated by these two international federations. As the mission statement specifically calls out the support of \u201cthe promotion of women in sport at all levels and in all structures with a view to implementing the principle of equality of men and women,\u201d it should also seek to do so based on cultural, racial, and socio-economic backgrounds.\n\nIt is well understood that greater diversity in leadership roles leads to better decision-making, particularly in the pursuit of goals aligned with the IOC\u2019s mission statement and in representing the wide diversity of Olympic athletes. However, while FINA has 30 Bureau and Executive members, only five are women and none of these women are Black. Similarly, World Athletics boasts a board that consists of eight people. Though they have a wider, more diverse council, the council only makes requirements based on gender only, not race or ethnicity. Commitment to full inclusion and diversity starts from the leadership at the top beginning with the boards and executives that govern these organizations.\n\nWe believe it is the IOC\u2019s duty to take action to underscore its commitment to anti-discrimination, anti-racism, and diversity for all athletes, future athletes, and spectators from all backgrounds. We respectfully request the IOC to re-evaluate its current policies in consideration of diversity of cultures, races, and ethnicity; with particular consideration of the disparate impact the current policies have on women of the African diaspora. Additionally, we ask that you report on the findings of your re-evaluation and any policy changes made. We look forward to further engagement with you and receiving a timely response.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:03:51Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://watsoncoleman.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/co-chairs-of-the-congressional-caucus-on-black-women-and-girls-send-letter-to-international-olympic-committee-on-treatment-of-black-women"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.5234891325235367, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}