U.S. Masters Swimming Trans Athlete Policy Under Scrutiny in Texas Lawsuit
In a controversial move, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against U.S. Masters Swimming (USMS) for allegedly engaging in false, deceptive, and misleading practices by allowing transgender women to compete in women's events. The lawsuit, which seeks up to $10,000 for each alleged violation, claims that USMS's policies are misleading and unfair to female athletes, and that the organization's actions have caused harm to competitors and consumers.
The legal action stems from an incident at the 2025 Spring Nationals meet held in San Antonio, where a biological man competed in and won five women's titles. The lawsuit asserts that USMS's policy of allowing transgender women to participate in women's events is "reprehensible" and "unlawful," and that it undermines competitive fairness.
The lawsuit also claims that USMS has stolen awards and recognitions for women by giving them to men competing in women's events. Paxton's office maintains its stance that transgender women are not real women, characterizing transgender athletes as "delusional biological men."
USMS has responded by cooperating with the investigation, emphasizing that it is a nonprofit promoting health for adults. The organization has expressed commitment to adhering to state requirements while defending its policies. However, Paxton's office states that USMS has not prevented biological men from competing in women's events, despite changes in some policies.
The case is significant as it treats the participation of transgender women as a deceptive trade practice, rather than directly under sports eligibility laws. Paxton leverages Texas state law that bans transgender females from K-12 and college women's sports, but notes that law does not explicitly cover adult amateur sports like USMS. If successful, USMS could face significant financial penalties and may be forced to revise or abandon its transgender athlete policy for adult competitions in Texas.
In summary, the policies of USMS currently allow transgender women to compete in women’s events under an interim framework, but this has provoked legal action from Texas on grounds of deceptive practices and competitive fairness. The outcome of the lawsuit could impact how adult amateur sports in Texas regulate transgender athlete participation going forward.
The lawsuit against U.S. Masters Swimming (USMS) by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is based on the allegation that USMS's policies are deceptive and misleading, as they allow transgender women to compete in women's events, which could be viewed as a consumer protection issue. Furthermore, the case raises questions about fairness and competitive parity in sports.
