U.S. Masters Swimming (USMS) announced Friday that its Eligibility Review Panel has completed its review regarding the participation of a swimmer earlier this year.
USMS said a swimmer submitted an eligibility determination request of another athlete, who was not named but is believed to be Ana Caldas, who won five events competing in the women’s 45-49 age group at the 2025 Masters Spring Nationals in April.
Although it was publicly reported that Caldas was born a male and then transitioned to becoming female, having raced in the men’s division of Masters swimming from 2002 to 2004, USMS said she proved she was a ciswoman.
USMS says the Panel’s ultimate finding was that Caldas was eligible for competition in the female category.
USMS’ findings can be found in full below:
Under U.S. Masters Swimming’s Policy on Transgender Swimmer Inclusion that was in effect until July 1, 2025, swimmers in the same gender category, same age group, and having participated in the same event during the same season may request an eligibility review of another swimmer at any time before the times submission deadline for that season. Pursuant to this policy, an Eligibility Review Panel reviewed an eligibility determination request regarding another swimmer’s eligibility for official forms of recognition at USMS events.
Under the USMS Eligibility Review Procedures in place until July 1, 2025, the swimmer whose eligibility was challenged submitted documentation to the Eligibility Review Panel regarding her eligibility to participate in the female competition category and for official forms of recognition, including documentation reflecting her sex assigned at birth and her gender identity, including a birth certificate, passport, and U.S. citizenship documents.
The Eligibility Review Panel also met with the swimmer and her counsel and reviewed a personal statement she submitted. The documents the swimmer submitted all demonstrate that she was assigned the female sex at birth and that she identifies as female, although she swam in the male category at USMS events 2002-2004. Even though it was not required, the swimmer voluntarily provided past and current medical documentation corroborating the information contained in the documents she submitted and corroborating her eligibility in the female category.
The Eligibility Review Panel concluded that the evidence submitted by the swimmer demonstrates that she was eligible for competition in the female category.
For clarity:
- The USMS Policy on Transgender Swimmer Inclusion and review procedures that were in effect at the time of this protest were materially different than the World Aquatics Policy on Eligibility.
- World Aquatics Policy instructs ‘Member Federations (e.g., U.S. Masters Swimming) to adopt its own sex and gender policy … that respects the inclusion of all Aquatics athletes’ and ‘recommends that organizers of recreational (non-competitive or non-elite)
- Aquatics events consider their local circumstances and goals in their determination of whether or not separate sex competition is necessary for them.’
- The USMS interim eligibility policy effective July 1, 2025, only allows for recognition in the female competition category based on sex assigned at birth, but allows for participation in the female category (as defined in the policy) based on gender identity.
- USMS has recently updated its membership registration process to ensure the integrity of the interim eligibility policy.
We appreciate our members’ patience during this thorough review process as the complexities of the matter were exacerbated by the outside legal and media attention received. USMS also wants to encourage our members to treat each other with dignity, kindness, and respect as outlined in the USMS code of conduct.
This concludes the Eligibility Review Panel’s review.
The USMS interim eligibility policy, effective July 1, 2025, only allows for recognition (awards & placements) in the female competition category based on sex assigned at birth, but allows for participation (simply racing, without any placement) in the female category (as defined in the policy) based on gender identity.
USMS President Ed Coates and CEO Dawson Hughes published an op-ed three weeks ago entitled “Swimsuits Not Lawsuits.” You can check it out here.
Something smells here. As others have pointed out, legal documents like passports and birth certificates can be reissued. So we are really down to what kind of medical documentation was presented to corroborate her biological sex.
As has been previously reported, she competed as a male – “Hugo Caldas” – in the early 2000s. Then around 2010 or so changed her name to “Hannah,” and thereafter to “Ana Do Carmo” (which is actually her sister’s name) and now to “Ana C. Caldas.”
Why would she assume her sister’s name? That’s a little weird.
She is also incredibly dominant in a number of sports (i.e., Crossfit, indoor rowing) – not just swimming. In my experience, top swimmers don’t tend to… Read more »
Also, if she was “assigned female at birth” as they say nowadays… when did she become “Hugo” and what was her name before that? Given her age, I think it’s safe to assume that she probably didn’t transition (if that’s indeed what happened) as a minor – that’s a more modern phenomenon.
Given her obvious ability, she must have been a very good youth swimmer – are there any records of her? Someone more familiar with Portuguese swimming would probably have to research that.
She’s raised questions in the Crossfit community for years. For example, see this video from three years ago: https://youtu.be/loC1AhXReBM (one of the comments suggests people knew about her transition for… Read more »
Oh good, official tattletaling.
I think this is wrong. Created a separate category for this individual, and do not take anything away from the females that have worked so hard to accomplish their goals.
Did you miss that this individual was born female? Why should she be in a different category?
No, this person presented a birth certificate that states she was born female. Birth certificates can be reissued in the US and Portugal. So, all the documents presented were based on the birth certificate.
“Even though it was not required, the swimmer voluntarily provided past and current medical documentation corroborating the information contained in the documents she submitted and corroborating her eligibility in the female category.”
Given that Caldas previously competed as a man it can hardly come as a surprise that people would reach the conclusions they did. Even publications that are supportive of Caldas (eg outsports) refer to Caldas as a transgender woman. I doubt we’ve heard the end of this.
I don’t think that we have the language really to describe this situation. Caldas previously competed as a man, and was assigned female at birth.
So like…she is transgender, based on our current definitions? She switched genders, right? She just switched twice.
The word for switching twice is de-transitioner. That is, they tried the opposite gender and then went back to the original one. Under this scenario, Caldas would have taken testosterone – a performance enhancing drug – while presenting as a man. As a long-time swimswam reader I recall that Lance Armstrong had a lifetime ban for his use of performance enhancing drugs. https://swimswam.com/usms-armstrong-is-not-eligible-to-race-in-usms-competitions/. As I said earlier, this will not be swept aside as easily as USMS might like.
I do not believe USMS has any rules about doping. I know they do not have drug testing at meets. The Armstrong situation was due to his being banned from competition. FINA advised USMS that it had to enforce the ban.
I hate to break this to you USMS doesn’t have a drug testing policy lol
Besides, not all trans people take hormones.
I agree. This is a lot of drama that could have been avoided.
Didn’t it say she previously competed in the men’s category? Thats different than “competing as a man”. You are just competing in the men’s events. I don’t know- in Master’s can women compete in men’s relays?
In the future, I sincerely hope that SwimSwam verifies their sources before publishing articles potentially misrepresenting athletes’ gender identities. Check the comments on the initial May19 article, and it’s easy to see how false reporting could put an athletes’ mental health (and potential physical safety) at risk.
Her gender identity was not misrepresented, though, right? Her gender identity is a woman.
Is a woman who previously identified as a man not transgender? I don’t know what the word is for that, do you have one?
Biological characteristics and gender identity are two seperate topics. The spectrum is vast and best left to those that have factual knowledge. The only thing that matters here is the truth and she is biologically a female, full stop, end of discussion. The bullying, harassment and lies need to stop. Move on with your life and leave her alone so she can heal from all the damage that Wendy, Angie, Texas AG, Fox News, and every person that has made hateful comments here and on numerous platforms. I hope she does sue each and everyone one of you, that lied and caused her harm. It has been painful enough just reading the disgusting comments from the USMS community let alone… Read more »
But she swam as a male first and now after a lot of drama that wasn’t good for anyone has declared she is a female.
Who is causing the drama? She seems to just be living her life and doing sports.
Dione Marshall Pevehouse it’s not “required” yet. At some point it will have to be . To be fair about it ALL athletes should have to submit to the test in the same way drug screening is done. I realize that official documents are tamper proof and it is impossible to obtain a false or forged document. I also know mistakes are NEVER made on official records. However to make sure that women’s sports are women’s sports testing will have to be done.
Personally I hope these lunk headed sports officials will get their act together and create a mixed (trans/women’s) category and a competitive (trans) category across the board in ALL sports. But it appears we would rather live… Read more »
As Lee Corso says, “Not so fast!”
Lawsuit. State of Texas and USMS will pay big bucks. This poor woman.
I sincerely doubt Caldas will sue.
You would be sincerely wrong. She is and rightfully so.
Witch hunt. Anyone who pointed fingers at her should be ashamed personally and shamed publicly.