Soul Cap, a swimming cap designed for Black hair, approved after ban from the Olympics – USA TODAY

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A swimming cap designed for Black swimmershair has been approved for competitive races after it was banned from the Tokyo Olympics last year.

The International Swimming Federation, orFINA, on Friday said the Soul Cap is on its list of approved equipment.

Promoting diversity and inclusivity is at the heart of FINAs work, executive director Brent Nowicki said in a statement, and it is very important that all aquatic athletes have access to the appropriate swimwear.

British brand Soul Cap, which sellsthe swimming cap that can"fit people with braids, locs or afro hair," according to its website, applauded the decision, calling it a success that affects the entire swimming community.

We want to thank all of you in the swim community for coming together to share your voices and raise awareness about accessibility and inclusion in the sport, the company said in a statement.

Soul Cap explained that it submitted the swimming cap for approval ahead of the Tokyo Olympics, but its application was rejected.

For a long time, conventional swim caps have been an obstacle for swimmers with thick, curly, or volume-blessed hair. They cant always find a cap that fits their hair type, and that often means that swimmers from some backgrounds end up avoiding competitions, or giving up the sport entirely, the company said.

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Alice Dearing, the first Black female swimmer to represent Britain at the Olympics was refused permission to wear a Soul Cap for the 10-kilometer marathon swim at the Tokyo Olympics.

She said in an opinion piece in the Guardian last week that she is relieved and excited to hear that Fina has now overturned its original decision.

Having the option to wear a swim cap that properly fits gives people the chance to feel confident when going swimming, and reduces the potential for stressful moments in the changing rooms or poolside, she wrote.

Crucially, the caps embrace all hairstyles, from afros, locs, braids and curls to wavy and straight hair as being appropriate hairstyles to swim in, and by implication, they challenge a narrow view of what a swimmer of any standard should look like, she added.

Contributing: Associated Press

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Soul Cap, a swimming cap designed for Black hair, approved after ban from the Olympics - USA TODAY