Texas AG sues aggressive swimming group over trans athlete controversy

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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton introduced Thursday he's suing U.S. Masters Swimming (USMS), a aggressive swimming membership group with over 60,000 grownup swimmers.

The lawsuit is a response to an occasion in San Antonio the place a organic male trans athlete gained 5 ladies's gold medals.

A number of feminine rivals told Fox News Digital after the meet they didn't know the athlete was a organic male.

"I am suing U.S. Masters Swimming for partaking in unlawful practices by permitting males to compete in ladies's competitions," Paxton mentioned in a submit on X saying the lawsuit. "The group has cowered to radical activists pushing gender warfare, and this lawsuit will maintain USMS accountable for its actions."

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Paxton's assertion alleges USMS engaged in "false, misleading, and deceptive practices by permitting males to compete in ladies's occasions."

Fox Information Digital has reached out to USMS for remark.

In June 2023, Texas handed the Save Ladies's Sports activities Act, which bans trans athletes from competing in women and girls's sports activities and solely permits college students to compete within the gender class listed on their delivery certificates. The regulation solely permits colleges to acknowledge adjustments made to delivery certificates that had been made to right a clerical error.

Paxton beforehand launched an investigation into USMS after the conrtoversial April incident.

The trans swimmer, 47-year-old Ana Caldas, dominated all 5 races the athlete competed in, taking gold within the ladies's age 45-49 class in 5 races, together with the 50- and 100-yard breaststroke, freestyle and the 100-yard particular person medley.

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Louisiana lady and long-time swimmer Wendy Enderle mentioned she filed a request for an eligibility assessment after discovering out that Caldas was transgender by a information article concerning the April incident.

"I really feel betrayed. Plain and easy," Enderle beforehand instructed Fox Information Digital.

Enderle mentioned she didn't introduce herself to Caldas till a USMS meet in Little Rock, Arkansas, in January. Upon assembly Caldas, Enderle observed the athlete's muscle mass and peak however nonetheless assumed Caldas was a feminine.

"I knew there was one thing, however I did not know what, I had no concept she was a trans feminine up till this previous Wednesday after the meet," Enderle mentioned. "I used to be shocked. … It makes me involved, it makes me mad."

Fellow USMS ladies's swimmer Angie Griffin additionally swam with Caldas in April with out data of Caldas' delivery gender.

The shock of studying the information about Caldas prompted Griffin to put in writing a proper letter of grievance to USMS. The letter additionally requested the group to "re-evaluate" the latest Spring Nationwide Championship and overhaul its gender eligibility coverage.

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Griffin competed towards Caldas in three races in San Antonio and completed behind the trans athlete within the 50-yard breaststroke and 100-yard particular person medley.

"I could not cease serious about how the integrity of particular person competitors had been compromised. Why would not USMS comply with the identical aggressive requirements as the remainder of the world and NCAA ? Why are athletes requested to simply accept much less transparency and equity?" Griffin beforehand instructed Fox Information Digital

"I paid my entry charges, airfare and lodge, trusting I might be competing in a ladies's division outlined by organic intercourse. I deserved to know the reality earlier than stepping onto the blocks."

The U.S. Masters Swimming Board of Administrators and Guidelines Committee up to date its participation pointers final month.

"USMS permits members to register for the competitors class that aligns with their gender id and/or expression and to take part in sanctioned occasions in that class," the brand new pointers state.

"Nonetheless, swimmers is not going to be included in Recognition Packages (as outlined above) except they're swimming within the competitors class that aligns with their intercourse assigned at delivery or they meet the eligibility necessities."

A pool in Baghdad (Reuters)

To be eligible for the U.S. Masters Swimming’s ladies’s recognition applications, the coverage states, "Members of the Feminine Intercourse are eligible for Recognition Packages within the ladies's class, no matter their gender id or gender expression.

"Members with 46 XY DSD whose gender id or gender expression is feminine are eligible for Recognition Packages within the ladies's class if they will set up to USMS's snug satisfaction that their intercourse assigned at delivery is feminine."

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Jackson Thompson is a sports activities author for Fox Information Digital. He beforehand labored for ESPN and Enterprise Insider. Jackson has coated the Tremendous Bowl and NBA Finals, and has interviewed iconic figures Usain Bolt, Rob Gronkowski, Jerry Rice, Troy Aikman, Mike Trout, David Ortiz and Roger Clemens.