Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against U.S. Masters Swimming (USMS), alleging that the organization allowed a biological male trans athlete, Ana Caldas, to compete in women’s events. The lawsuit follows a controversy during a San Antonio regional meet in April where Caldas, a 47-year-old swimmer, won five gold medals in the women’s age 49 category. Female competitors, who were unaware of Caldas’ biological sex, expressed outrage, with some claiming to have been ‘betrayed.’
In his statement announcing the lawsuit, Paxton accused USMS of ‘illegal practices’ by allowing men to compete in women’s competitions, arguing the organization has ‘cowered to radical activists.’ The lawsuit specifically targets the San Antonio incident, where Caldas’ dominance in the event sparked widespread backlash and demands for reform. This legal action is part of a broader effort by the Texas attorney general to enforce stricter standards in women’s sports, particularly following the passage of the Save Women’s Sports Act in June 2023, which bans trans athletes from competing in girls and women’s sports and requires alignment with birth gender.
Female competitors like Wendy Enderle and Angie Griffin have publicly voiced their frustrations, with Enderle expressing ‘betrayed’ feelings and Griffin calling for a re-evaluation of USMS’s policies. Enderle filed an eligibility review request after learning about Caldas’ trans identity and revealed her shock upon meeting the athlete in Arkansas. Griffin, who competed against Caldas and finished behind her in two races, argued the integrity of the sport had been compromised, questioning why USMS does not adhere to the same standards as other organizations like the NCAA.
USMS has since updated its guidelines to allow members to compete in the category aligned with their gender identity, but critics argue the new policies lack the transparency and fairness needed. Meanwhile, the U.S. Masters Swimming Board of Directors and Rules Committee have made changes to its participation guidelines, but the debate over gender and sports continues, with legal and regulatory actions likely to shape the future of competitive swimming in the U.S.