Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier issued a stern warning Tuesday to U.S. Masters Swimming, demanding it immediately reverse its policy allowing biological males to participate in women’s races or face legal consequences.
“Today, we called on U.S. Masters Swimming, a Florida-based nonprofit, to immediately cease allowing any men to compete against women,” Uthmeier said. “We will always fight to protect women and girls from being subjected to men trying to compete in female sports — it’s our moral obligation to do so.”
Today, we put U.S. Masters Swimming on notice: Allowing men in women’s swimming competitions is unlawful in Florida.
Fix the policy, or there will be consequences. pic.twitter.com/Os32iVNE77
— Attorney General James Uthmeier (@AGJamesUthmeier) July 15, 2025
Uthmeier gave the organization a clear ultimatum: certify in writing that no men will be allowed to compete with women, or the state will pursue legal action. He pointed to Florida’s civil rights, anti-discrimination, and consumer protection laws as tools available to hold the group accountable.
U.S. Masters Swimming, which has over 60,000 members nationwide and is headquartered in Sarasota, has come under fire since a 47-year-old biological male identifying as a woman dominated five women’s races at this year’s Spring Nationals in San Antonio. The incident triggered national backlash and prompted the Texas Attorney General to investigate.
In response, the group introduced a new “interim eligibility policy” on July 1, which bars trans-identifying males from officially competing in the women’s category — but still allows them to swim in women’s races. Uthmeier slammed the move as inadequate.
“This policy purports to protect women’s sports, but it does not get the job done,” he said. “This is not acceptable. It does not fly with Florida law.”
Beyond fairness in competition, Uthmeier also cited safety concerns about male access to women’s locker rooms. “We will not tolerate it. We will hold you accountable if you are going to endanger our women and girls,” he warned.
Uthmeier emphasized that the issue goes beyond policy. “This is a moral cause,” he said. “We’re the state where woke goes to die.”
The pressure comes on the heels of President Donald Trump’s executive order banning trans-identifying males from competing in girls’ sports — a move that has already forced several major athletic organizations, including the NCAA, to reverse course.
Trump signed the order earlier this year surrounded by young female athletes, including Riley Gaines, who famously lost to male swimmer Lia Thomas and has since become a vocal advocate for women’s sports.
Despite the policy changes, U.S. Masters Swimming still plans to host events in Florida, including the Rob Curry Pancake Pentathlon in the Orlando area this September — but the legal battle brewing with the state could force a major shakeup.