The Winter Olympics in Milan have just wrapped up. Athletes from around the world competed at the top of their game. However, the games were not without controversy. The Haïtian delegation intended to wear uniforms hand-painted by Haïtian-Italian designer Stella Jean, featuring a colorful depiction of Haïtian revolutionary Toussaint L’Ouverture seated on top of a red horse.
L’Ouverture was a former enslaved person and general who emerged as a leader of the Haïtian Revolution. He was instrumental in navigating the tense political conflicts among France, Spain and Britain, laying the groundwork for Haïti’s independence.
He stands as an important revolutionary figure within Haïtian history, taking a similar spot in Haïtian culture as the founding fathers in America. Though he died before the establishment of the Haïtian Republic in 1804, L’Ouverture left a long-lasting cultural impact on Haïtian culture, being seen as both a great general and statesman alike.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) ruled that the Haïtian team change their uniforms to comply with the rules regarding political figures.
Under Rule 50 of the IOC Athletes’ Commission, athletes are not allowed to wear any overtly political figures on their attire. It is seen as an effort to have the sporting event remain apolitical. The International Olympic Committee cited this rule as the reason the Haïtian team had to remove L’Ouverture from the winter uniform.
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The team flew Jean into Milan for last minute adjustments in compliance with Rule 50. She painted a new design over L’Ouverture, leaving the hand-painted winter outfit with a riderless horse among greenery underneath a blue sky.
In an interview with the Miami Herald, Jean said she was pleased with her work.
“The one thing Haiti can always export is our art, our culture and our creativity,” Jean said.
The two athletes competing for Haïti – Stevenson Savart and Richardson Viano – wore the outfits during the opening ceremony. Despite the image of L’Overture being painted over, the public reaction to the uniforms was overwhelmingly positive, with many seeing it as a celebration of Haïtian culture and history.
Viano has previously competed in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. For Savart, however, this was his first Winter Olympics for team Haïti, as well as the first cross-country skier to compete in Haïti’s history. Stevenson Savart placed 64th in the men’s 10km + 10km Skiathlon, 82nd in the men’s classic sprint, and 79th in the Men’s 10km Interval Start Free.
Considering Haïti is the only successful example of a slave revolution in the modern era, and the second independent nation of the New World, it is little wonder why the Haïtian delegation would choose one of their founding figures to represent them.
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