“They don’t think it’s fair that I win all of the time.” —Simone Biles

Dear John,

Olympic organizers don’t want Black women to win.

The Games have officially kicked off—this should be a moment to celebrate athletic excellence in all its forms. But before the opening ceremony could even get underway, international athletic governing bodies spent weeks undermining Black women competitors.

From imposing a narrow definition of what a woman athlete can be—enforced by humiliating “gender verification testing”—to banning gear designed to accommodate natural hair, the Olympics are quite simply penalizing Black women for not conforming to a standard of whiteness that is considered the norm. And this is especially true when Black women win.

Every day at the National Women’s Law Center, we’re working for a future where Black women athletes’ shine is never dulled, and for equitable practices both on and off the field—at work, at school, and beyond. If you can, consider making a donation to support the Law Center’s work against misogynoir and discrimination today.

If you're a lifelong sports fan like myself, you know that the real GOATs in athletics are the women athletes. Despite smashing world records and inspiring young Black women around the world, the Olympics continue to create obstacles for our athletes where there shouldn’t be any—and there aren’t any, as long as you’re a man, and white. Global athletic governing bodies are perpetuating a long-held standard of anti-Black racism at the Olympic Games.

Before the Olympic torch had been lit, Black women athletes were already being set up to fail:

• Two 18-year-old Namibian sprinters were ruled ineligible to compete in a race due to naturally occuring high testosterone levels.
• Soul Caps, swimming caps specifically designed to accommodate natural Black hair, were banned during international competitions.
• CeCé Telfer, an American Black trans runner, has been barred from competition.
• Simone Biles, largely considered the best athlete and American gymnast of all time, has also been criticized for her athletic abilities, simply because she is so good at gymnastics.
• Sha’Carri Richardson, U.S. sprinter and American record holder, was placed on a 30-day suspension after testing positive for THC, despite no evidence to suggest THC can improve athletic performance.
• Gwen Berry, a U.S. hammer thrower, was criticized for protesting during the National Anthem.

While I’ll be cheering on my favorites in Tokyo and honoring the women who worked so hard to achieve this level of athletic greatness, I hope you’ll join us with a gift today to help fuel the fight against racial and gender bias in all its forms—including discrimination and unfair treatment faced by our athletes.

Let her compete. Let them all compete.

In solidarity,

Lark Lewis
she/her/hers
Manager, Creative and Digital Strategies
National Women’s Law Center