Latest news with #USMastersSwimming
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Texas attorney general sues adult swimming group for allowing transgender competitors
The Texas attorney general has sued an adult swimming program after two transgender women were allowed to compete at a meet this spring in San Antonio, with one placing first in several events. The suit alleged that U.S. Masters Swimming undermined the trust of consumers through 'false, deceptive, and misleading practices" because it said the other swimmers faced what it described as an unfair disadvantage in the Spring Nationals competition in April. U.S. Masters Swimming said in a statement that it has been cooperating fully with Attorney General Ken Paxton's investigation, which comes as a nationwide battle over the participation of transgender athletes has played out at both the state and federal levels. 'It is deeply disappointing to see our organization and individual members publicly targeted in a lawsuit that appears to be more about generating headlines than seeking justice,' the statement said. Republicans have leveraged the issue as a fight for athletic fairness for women and girls. Paxton said in a news release Thursday that U.S. Masters Swimming "has deprived female participants of the opportunity to succeed at the highest levels by letting men win countless events.' The suit said Ana Caldas placed first in the five events in the 45-49 age group, and Jennifer Rines finished ahead of dozens of women. Rines wrote in a guest editorial in Swimming World in May that creating a separate category for transgender athletes might be the equitable solution for national-level events. But she said coming out as transgender carries the risk of losing jobs and friends. 'At what point does the level of competition justify forcing someone to out themselves or barring them from participation altogether?' she asked. Even before the suit was filed, U.S. Masters Swimming revised its policy to bar transgender women from receiving recognition for placing in women's events, but still allowing them to compete. But the suit said, 'This is all too little, too late.' ___ AP sports: Solve the daily Crossword
Washington Post
19-07-2025
- Sport
- Washington Post
Texas attorney general sues adult swimming group for allowing transgender competitors
The Texas attorney general has sued an adult swimming program after two transgender women were allowed to compete at a meet this spring in San Antonio, with one placing first in several events. The suit alleged that U.S. Masters Swimming undermined the trust of consumers through 'false, deceptive, and misleading practices' because it said the other swimmers faced what it described as an unfair disadvantage in the Spring Nationals competition in April.
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Texas attorney general sues adult swimming group for allowing transgender competitors
The Texas attorney general has sued an adult swimming program after two transgender women were allowed to compete at a meet this spring in San Antonio, with one placing first in several events. The suit alleged that U.S. Masters Swimming undermined the trust of consumers through 'false, deceptive, and misleading practices" because it said the other swimmers faced what it described as an unfair disadvantage in the Spring Nationals competition in April. U.S. Masters Swimming said in a statement that it has been cooperating fully with Attorney General Ken Paxton's investigation, which comes as a nationwide battle over the participation of transgender athletes has played out at both the state and federal levels. 'It is deeply disappointing to see our organization and individual members publicly targeted in a lawsuit that appears to be more about generating headlines than seeking justice,' the statement said. Republicans have leveraged the issue as a fight for athletic fairness for women and girls. Paxton said in a news release Thursday that U.S. Masters Swimming "has deprived female participants of the opportunity to succeed at the highest levels by letting men win countless events.' The suit said Ana Caldas placed first in the five events in the 45-49 age group, and Jennifer Rines finished ahead of dozens of women. Rines wrote in a guest editorial in Swimming World in May that creating a separate category for transgender athletes might be the equitable solution for national-level events. But she said coming out as transgender carries the risk of losing jobs and friends. 'At what point does the level of competition justify forcing someone to out themselves or barring them from participation altogether?' she asked. Even before the suit was filed, U.S. Masters Swimming revised its policy to bar transgender women from receiving recognition for placing in women's events, but still allowing them to compete. But the suit said, 'This is all too little, too late.' ___ AP sports: Heather Hollingsworth, The Associated Press
Associated Press
19-07-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Texas attorney general sues adult swimming group for allowing transgender competitors
The Texas attorney general has sued an adult swimming program after two transgender women were allowed to compete at a meet this spring in San Antonio, with one placing first in several events. The suit alleged that U.S. Masters Swimming undermined the trust of consumers through 'false, deceptive, and misleading practices' because it said the other swimmers faced what it described as an unfair disadvantage in the Spring Nationals competition in April. U.S. Masters Swimming said in a statement that it has been cooperating fully with Attorney General Ken Paxton's investigation, which comes as a nationwide battle over the participation of transgender athletes has played out at both the state and federal levels. 'It is deeply disappointing to see our organization and individual members publicly targeted in a lawsuit that appears to be more about generating headlines than seeking justice,' the statement said. Republicans have leveraged the issue as a fight for athletic fairness for women and girls. Paxton said in a news release Thursday that U.S. Masters Swimming 'has deprived female participants of the opportunity to succeed at the highest levels by letting men win countless events.' The suit said Ana Caldas placed first in the five events in the 45-49 age group, and Jennifer Rines finished ahead of dozens of women. Rines wrote in a guest editorial in Swimming World in May that creating a separate category for transgender athletes might be the equitable solution for national-level events. But she said coming out as transgender carries the risk of losing jobs and friends. 'At what point does the level of competition justify forcing someone to out themselves or barring them from participation altogether?' she asked. Even before the suit was filed, U.S. Masters Swimming revised its policy to bar transgender women from receiving recognition for placing in women's events, but still allowing them to compete. But the suit said, 'This is all too little, too late.' ___ AP sports:
New York Post
18-07-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
Texas Attorney General sues US Masters Swimming after trans athlete controversy in San Antonio
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced Thursday he is suing US Masters Swimming (USMS), a competitive swimming membership organization with over 60,000 adult swimmers. The lawsuit is a response to an event in San Antonio where a biological male trans athlete won five women's gold medals. Advertisement Multiple female competitors told Fox News Digital after the meet they did not know the athlete was a biological male. 'I'm suing US Masters Swimming for engaging in illegal practices by allowing men to compete in women's competitions,' Paxton said in a post on X announcing the lawsuit. 'The organization has cowered to radical activists pushing gender warfare, and this lawsuit will hold USMS accountable for its actions.' Paxton's statement alleges USMS engaged in 'false, deceptive, and misleading practices by allowing men to compete in women's events.' Fox News Digital has reached out to USMS for comment. Advertisement In June 2023, Texas passed the Save Women's Sports Act, which bans trans athletes from competing in girls and women's sports and only allows students to compete in the gender category listed on their birth certificates. The law only allows schools to recognize changes made to birth certificates that were made to correct a clerical error. 4 Transgender swimmer Ana Caldas won five gold medals at a US Masters Swimming championship in San Antonio. Paxton previously launched an investigation into USMS after the conrtoversial April incident. Advertisement The trans swimmer, 47-year-old Ana Caldas, dominated all five races the athlete competed in, taking gold in the women's age 45-49 category in five races, including the 50- and 100-yard breaststroke, freestyle and the 100-yard individual medley. Louisiana woman and long-time swimmer Wendy Enderle said she filed a request for an eligibility review after finding out that Caldas was transgender through a news article about the April incident. 'I feel betrayed. Plain and simple,' Enderle previously told Fox News Digital. 4 The 47-year-old trans swimmer dominated all five races that the athlete signed up for. FINIS Advertisement Enderle said she did not introduce herself to Caldas until a USMS meet in Little Rock, Arkansas, in January. Upon meeting Caldas, Enderle noticed the athlete's muscles and height but still assumed Caldas was a female. 'I knew there was something, but I didn't know what, I had no idea she was a trans female up until this past Wednesday after the meet,' Enderle said. 'I was shocked. … It makes me concerned, it makes me mad.' 4 Some biological women who competed said they did not know Caldas was a biological male. Fellow USMS women's swimmer Angie Griffin also swam with Caldas in April without knowledge of Caldas' birth gender. The shock of learning the news about Caldas prompted Griffin to write a formal letter of complaint to USMS. The letter also asked the organization to 're-evaluate' the recent Spring National Championship and overhaul its gender eligibility policy. Advertisement Griffin competed against Caldas in three races in San Antonio and finished behind the trans athlete in the 50-yard breaststroke and 100-yard individual medley. 'I couldn't stop thinking about how the integrity of individual competition had been compromised. Why doesn't USMS follow the same competitive standards as the rest of the world and NCAA? Why are athletes asked to accept less transparency and fairness?' Griffin previously told Fox News Digital 'I paid my entry fees, airfare and hotel, trusting I'd be competing in a women's division defined by biological sex. I deserved to know the truth before stepping onto the blocks.' The US Masters Swimming Board of Directors and Rules Committee updated its participation guidelines last month. Advertisement 'USMS allows members to register for the competition category that aligns with their gender identity and/or expression and to participate in sanctioned events in that category,' the new guidelines state. 4 Swimmer Angie Griffin wrote a formal letter of complaint to USMS. USMS 'However, swimmers will not be included in Recognition Programs (as defined above) unless they are swimming in the competition category that aligns with their sex assigned at birth or they meet the eligibility requirements.' To be eligible for the US Masters Swimming's women's recognition programs, the policy states, 'Members of the Female Sex are eligible for Recognition Programs in the women's category, regardless of their gender identity or gender expression. 'Members with 46 XY DSD whose gender identity or gender expression is female are eligible for Recognition Programs in the women's category if they can establish to USMS's comfortable satisfaction that their sex assigned at birth is female.'
