After an alleged transgender athlete competed in the USMS Spring National Championships, the organization has faced backlash about records and participation.
This is an attempt by USMS to compromise and let everyone who wants to swim, swim, but keeps the records and accolades fair to female swimmers, according to the policy. It also keeps USMS compliant with state and local nondiscrimination laws, allowing the organization to host meets around the country.
Here is a look at what USMS released:
USMS sanctions hundreds of events each year in jurisdictions with differing legal requirements.
“One of our responsibilities as a national organization is to ensure our events are operated in compliance with the laws of the jurisdictions where they are hosted,” USMS CEO Dawson Hughes says. “This update provides clarity and ensures USMS can continue offering sanctioned events across the country as we continue to pursue our mission of empowering adults to improve their lives through swimming.”
The interim eligibility policy (usms.org/policy) and FAQs (usms.org/policyFAQs) are available on USMS’s website.
The policy applies to events sanctioned by USMS and distinguishes between event participation and eligibility for recognition
• Participation: Members may continue to swim in the competition category that aligns with their gender identity and/or expression.
• National recognition programs: Eligibility for national recognition programs (such as USMS records, Top 10 times, and All-American and All-Star honors) in the women’s category continues to be based on sex assigned at birth. Eligibility for recognition in the renamed men’s/open category is open to all members.
• Local recognition programs: Eligibility for local recognition programs (such as event awards and points scored) is determined by state or local law and any facility-use requirements.
Event information will indicate whether the national recognition procedure or the local recognition procedure applies.
USMS’s eligibility policy remains interim as it continues to monitor legal developments and adjust its policies as necessary to remain compliant with evolving federal, state, and local laws.
Here is the policy in full:
Interim USMS Policy on Participation in the Men’s/Open and Women’s Competition Category and Eligibility for Official Recognition Programs
U.S. Masters Swimming exists to empower adults to improve their lives through swimming and strives to ensure our members feel included in all USMS programs. With its history dating back to a swim meet in 1970, USMS also recognizes the importance of fair competition in USMS events and recognition programs. USMS is committed to having a policy that balances organizational values, the broad range of membership views and perspectives related to fairness and competition, the applicable World Aquatics Policies, and various state and local laws to which USMS is subject.
In accordance with USMS Code of Regulations and Rules of Competition Article 102.5.3, this USMS policy is intended to guide eligibility for participation in the men’s/open and women’s competition categories in USMS-sanctioned pool and open water competitions and separately guide eligibility for USMS competitive recognition programs.
This interim policy went into effect July 1, 2025, and was updated February 21, 2026. You can learn more about our policy by visiting our FAQs page. You can find our previous policies here.
- Definitions
- “LMSC” refers to the Local Masters Swimming Committees around the United States that are affiliated with USMS.
- “Sanctioned Events” refers to and includes Sanctioned Local Events and Sanctioned National Events.
- “Sanctioned Local Events” are events sanctioned by USMS and organized and run by LMSCs, USMS clubs, or event directors at the local level.
- “Sanctioned National Events” are events sanctioned by USMS and organized and run by USMS at the national level. The term includes National Championships.
- “National Championships” are nationally branded, non-qualification-based-entry events conducted under USMS rules and standards of administration. Participation is available to any current USMS member, subject only to entry procedures and event capacity limitations.
National Championships do not determine a season-long national title or overall best swimmer designation. Event winners are recognized as first-place finishers in that specific competition only.
“National Championships” refers to and includes (a) the Spring and Summer National Championship pool events and (b) any open water National Championships USMS may hold.
Virtual Championships are not considered “National Championships” for the purposes of this policy. - “Participation” means the opportunity to enter and swim in a sanctioned USMS event.
- “Recognition” means the acknowledgment of a participant’s performance in a sanctioned USMS event and for other regional and national programs for purposes of scoring, ranking, awards, records, or other competitive distinctions.
- “National Recognition Programs” are national competitive awards and rankings offered to USMS members. Currently, they consist of the publication of USMS records and annual Top 10 times and the naming of All Stars and All Americans, as described on the USMS website. Virtual Championships are part of National Recognition Programs.
- “Local Recognition Programs” are competitive awards and rankings that may be offered at Sanctioned Local Events or by LMSCs.
- Eligibility to Participate in Sanctioned Events.
- This section of the policy only covers eligibility to participate in Sanctioned Events, which is distinct from eligibility to receive recognition in National or Local Recognition Programs. Eligibility to receive recognition in National or Local Recognition Programs is separately addressed in the next two sections.
- Members may participate at Sanctioned Local Events and Sanctioned National Events in the competition category that aligns with their gender identity and/or expression.
- Eligibility to Receive Recognition in National Recognition Programs
- Eligibility for National Recognition Programs is on an opt-in basis only. To opt-in, members must, during member registration, confirm that they have read and understood this policy and select a competition category: men’s/open or women’s.
- All members who select the men’s/open category are eligible for National Recognition Programs in the men’s/open category, regardless of sex, gender, or gender identity/expression.
- Members who select the women’s category and opt in to participate in National Recognition Programs must also certify their sex assigned at birth is female.
- National Championships events are not part of National Recognition Programs and will follow Local Recognition Programs’ eligibility standards (Item 4 below).
- Eligibility to Receive Recognition in Local Recognition Programs
- All members who select the men’s/open category are eligible for Local Recognition Programs in the men’s/open category, regardless of sex, gender, or gender identity/expression.
- Members are eligible for Local Recognition Programs the Women’s category if they select the women’s category and opt-in to National Recognition Programs by certifying their sex assigned at birth is female. Furthermore if the state, city, other geographic area, and/or facility in which a Local Recognition Program takes place has a law or policy that requires such recognition on the basis of gender identity and/or expression, swimmers that select the women’s category, during USMS membership registration will be included in any Local Recognition Programs in the women’s category, regardless of eligibility for national recognition programs.
- In no event shall the determination of eligibility for Local Recognition Programs require any supplemental disclosure, documentation, or on-site discussion of a swimmer’s sex assigned at birth, or medical information.
- Investigations
- USMS may investigate any circumstances that indicate actual or potential breaches of this policy. Investigations shall be limited to assessing eligibility for National or Local Recognition Programs and shall not assess, adjudicate, or question a member’s gender identity or expression. Verification requests shall be proportionate, confidential, and limited in scope. Government identification will be the primary verification standard for an investigation. USMS may consider other reliable documentation on a case-by-case basis; no single document shall be required in all cases. Members shall receive written notice and an opportunity to respond prior to a final determination.
- USMS will request appropriate identification and other reliable documentation determined necessary when, at the sole discretion of USMS, it’s determined that an investigation is necessary. A panel made up of the Rules Committee Chair (or designee from the Rules Committee), the Legal Counsel, and the Chief Executive Officer will review documentation to determine eligibility. Additional subject matter experts may provide guidance to the panel. The panel’s decision may be appealed to the USMS Board of Directors.
- Other Considerations:
- This policy shall be interpreted and applied consistently with applicable state and local nondiscrimination laws. Where required by law, USMS will adopt jurisdiction-specific procedures that preserve participation access while maintaining the integrity of National and Local Recognition Programs.
- Eligibility for National or Local Recognition Programs is determined through USMS administrative processes before or after competition and shall not be enforced or adjudicated by meet directors, officials, local volunteers, or facility staff during an event. Local volunteers, officials, or meet personnel shall not make determinations regarding a swimmer’s sex, gender identity, transgender status, or medical information as a condition of participation or local recognition.
- This policy does not determine the eligibility of members to compete in World Aquatics competitions or to set World Aquatics World Masters Records. World Aquatics Policies supersede USMS policy for World Aquatics records, World Aquatics events, and World Aquatics recognition.
- Times from swims in recognized events (as defined in USMS Code of Regulations and Rules of Competition, Article 202.2) for members who are ineligible for National Recognition Programs under this policy may be included in USMS results, but those results will not be used in National Recognition Programs.
- USMS policies on participation do not apply to non-sanctioned events, and specific event organizers may have differing guidelines. Please check event information or contact the event host of any events that are not USMS-sanctioned for more information.
- USMS may approve meet formats that include both USMS-sanctioned events and competition events or categories that are not conducted under USMS sanctioning requirements. USMS may also approve meet formats composed entirely of such competition categories.
In either case, the event will be considered an approved activity for purposes of USMS insurance coverage and will be promoted in the same manner as other sanctioned or approved activities so long as each participant is a USMS member or one-event registrant.
Competition elements not conducted under USMS sanctioning requirements are not eligible for inclusion in the USMS results database and are not eligible for USMS National or Local Recognition Programs. The structure and nature of such non-sanctioned events and the effect of that structure on National Recognition Programs or Local Recognition Programs must be clearly and conspicuously stated in the meet information. - USMS will evaluate adjustments to the policy and associated procedures when World Aquatics Policy is amended, when relevant local, state, or national law is changed or when additional information on transgender, non-binary, and DSD participation evolves, or as deemed necessary by the organization. Questions on this policy and corresponding procedures shall be emailed to us.
Approved by USMS Board of Directors and Rules Committee: February 21, 2026
