Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office has announced an investigation into U.S. Masters Swimming (USMS), claiming that the organization may have violated state law by allowing a male athlete to compete in women’s events during the 2025 Spring Nationals meet this April.
According to a statement from Paxton’s office, the investigation aims to determine whether USMS has used any “false, deceptive, and misleading acts and practices” under Texas law governing gender.
“The policy of US Masters Swimming, which allows men to compete in women’s events, is reprehensible and could violate Texas’s consumer protection laws,” Paxton said. “Not only is this policy insulting to female athletes, but it also demonstrates deep contempt for women and may violate Texas law. I will fight to stop these unfair policies and never back down from defending the integrity of women’s sports.”
USMS, the national organization that oversees competitive swimming for adults aged 18 and older, has yet to issue a public response to the investigation.
However, the group has outlined its seemingly relaxed “Policy on Transgender Swimming Inclusion” on its official website.
The USMS currently allows transgender athletes to compete in the gender category they identify with, citing “inclusion.”
Under the current policy, the organization states that biological males may compete in women’s events if they meet certain “hormone requirements” and submit documentation proving reduced testosterone levels. While pitched to the public as a measure of fairness, the policy has drawn criticism, prompting scrutiny from Texas officials who argue it undermines the integrity of women’s sports, let alone state law.
Texas has already established laws barring biologically male athletes from competing in K–12 and collegiate women’s sports.
In June of 2023, Gov. Greg Abbott signed the Save Women’s Sports Act into law, officially banning biological males from competing in women’s sports at Texas colleges and universities. In 2021, Abbott signed a similar law to protect girls’ athletics in Texas public schools.
Now, Paxton’s recent investigation into the USMS is one of the first high-profile legal challenges targeting gender policies at the adult level of competition.
The 2025 Spring Nationals meet in San Antonio drew hundreds of swimmers from across the country.
A specific athlete at the center of the controversy has not been publicly identified, and it’s unclear whether competitors at the event filed any formal complaints as of the time of publication.