Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against U.S. Masters Swimming, alleging the organization engaged in false, deceptive and misleading practices by allowing men to compete in women’s events.
The lawsuit, filed following a months-long investigation, stems from the 2025 Spring Nationals swim meet held in San Antonio, where U.S. Masters Swimming reportedly allowed male athletes to compete in female categories. Paxton launched the investigation in May after complaints surfaced about the event.
According to Paxton’s office, U.S. Masters Swimming misled the public by previously representing that women’s sports categories would be exclusively for female participants. The lawsuit claims those representations were false and that the organization “stole awards and recognitions for women by giving them to men competing in women’s events.”
U.S. Masters Swimming, a Florida-based nonprofit that hosts swim clubs and competitive events nationwide, recently updated its policies to allow athletes to register and compete in the category that “aligns with their gender identity and/or expression.” However, the policy states that only athletes competing in their biological sex category are eligible for recognition programs such as records and rankings.
A spokesperson for U.S. Masters Swimming did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Paxton, a Republican and vocal opponent of transgender participation in women’s sports, has previously taken legal action against other organizations over similar policies. The lawsuit seeks to bar U.S. Masters Swimming from promoting what Paxton’s office called “deceptive” practices and to restore protections for female athletes in Texas.
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