Just ask Black rugby player and England international Sadia Kabeya, who says a lack of cultural and ethnic diversity in her sport took a toll on her identity. Representation mattersA 2020 report by Sport England showed that the participation share of White British adults in rugby union was more than 90%, 8.2% higher than the national population share. A lack of diversity in the sport in England is also reflected in the demographics of rugby audiences. Kabeya is particularly passionate about the topic of Black rugby players’ hair. Its significance runs deep, given the historical links between Black hair and identity and also resistance.

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Persons: Kabeya, ”, “, ” Kabeya, Maud Muir, Lucy Packer, David Rogers, you’re, White, ” “, ” Jatin Patel, weren’t, Luther Burrell, Burrell, ” Patel, Ashton Hewitt –, –, ” Hewitt, Hewitt, Tyler Miller, Liam Scott, Scott, Mike Hewitt, Patel, George Floyd Organizations: CNN — Elite, England, CNN Sport, Rugby Football Union, RFU, Rugby, Rugby Players Association, Nations, Richmond Women, CNN, Six Nations, Getty, Loughborough Lightning, Sport England, Diversity, Daily Mail, Newcastle Falcons, Dragons, United Rugby, Leinster, rugby, Ireland, Twickenham, Pictures Locations: ”, England, London, Richmond, Wales, Dublin, Black