Lawsuit Filed by Texas Attorney General Contests NCAA Regulations Regarding Transgender Athletes' Participation
The legal battle between Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) over transgender athletes participating in women's sports continues to unfold in a Lubbock District Court. Paxton's lawsuit, filed in February 2025, alleges that the NCAA's policies are deceptive and misleading, violating the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act.
Paxton's complaint against the NCAA demands sex verification testing and accuses the association of falsely advertising women's sports by allowing transgender women to compete in those events. This lawsuit is not an isolated incident; Paxton has also filed a separate lawsuit against U.S. Masters Swimming (USMS) in July 2025, alleging the organisation's practices violate Texas's Deceptive Trade Practices Act.
In response, the NCAA has declined to comment on the pending litigation, instead emphasizing its commitment to enforcing federal legislation prohibiting sex-based discrimination in educational programs and activities. NCAA President Charlie Baker has stated that the NCAA cannot and will not ban transgender athletes from its competitions due to federal court rulings in favor of transgender participants.
The NCAA's policy requires transgender athletes who are biologically male to complete at least one year of testosterone-suppression treatment before competing on women's teams. However, Paxton's lawsuit argues that the NCAA's practices remain "unfair and unsafe" and fail to consider trans people who have changed the sex on their birth certificates.
Paxton's lawsuit asserts that the inherent unfairness of men competing against women in women's sports impacts consumer decisions about purchasing goods and services associated with women's sporting events. The lawsuit further alleges that the NCAA's actions jeopardize the safety and wellbeing of women by changing women's competitions into co-ed competitions.
It is worth noting that federal courts have repeatedly ruled in favor of transgender participants in sports. Despite this, Paxton's legal efforts reflect a continued push to restrict transgender women's participation in women's sports in Texas.
As of August 2025, the NCAA case is still proceeding in court, and no major ruling or resolution has been reported. The USMS case is very recent and ongoing. The ongoing nature of these lawsuits underscores the complex and evolving debate surrounding transgender athletes in women's sports.
[1] Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s Lawsuit Against NCAA Over Transgender Athletes in Women's Sports, Texas Tribune, February 2025, https://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/01/texas-attorney-general-ken-paxton-ncaa-transgender-athletes/
[2] Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton Sues U.S. Masters Swimming Over Transgender Athletes, NBC News, July 2025, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/texas-attorney-general-ken-paxton-sues-us-masters-swimming-over-n1288942
[3] Texas Attorney General Sues U.S. Masters Swimming Over Transgender Athletes, The New York Times, July 2025, https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/01/us/texas-attorney-general-transgender-athletes.html
[4] Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton Sues U.S. Masters Swimming Over Transgender Athletes, The Washington Post, July 2025, https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/07/01/texas-attorney-general-ken-paxton-sues-us-masters-swimming-over-transgender-athletes/
[5] Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton Files Lawsuit Against U.S. Masters Swimming Over Transgender Athletes, CBS News, July 2025, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/texas-attorney-general-ken-paxton-files-lawsuit-against-us-masters-swimming-over-transgender-athletes/
Politics and general news are intertwined as Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed lawsuits against the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and U.S. Masters Swimming (USMS), alleging their policies on transgender athletes participating in women's sports violate the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act. Sports, specifically women's sports, are at the center of these legal disputes, with Paxton arguing that the NCAA's practices are unfair and unsafe, impacting consumer decisions and potentially jeopardizing the safety and wellbeing of women.
In the ongoing court cases, the NCAA continues to enforce federal legislation prohibiting sex-based discrimination in educational programs and activities, stating that they cannot and will not ban transgender athletes from their competitions due to federal court rulings. Meanwhile, Paxton's litigation against both organizations highlights the ongoing debate in sports politics regarding transgender athletes in women's sports.
