Angie Griffin, a female swimmer with U.S. Masters Swimming (USSMS), mentioned to Fox News Digital that she is facing a complaint after calling a trans athlete a “man” in the league’s community forum. USSMS confirmed that a complaint came from another competitor.
The organization stated, “US Masters Swimming does not comment on individual member matters, including grievance or disciplinary processes. We can confirm that the complaint was filed by an individual member and not by US Masters Swimming. This matter is being managed following our review process.”
Griffin has previously expressed her concerns regarding competing against biological male trans athletes, recalling an experience from May 2025 when she didn’t know she had competed against a trans athlete in San Antonio until after the event. She believes this complaint might lead to stripping her of all her USSMS records.
“For simply sharing my opinion and stating the facts, it’s likely they’ll take away all my appearance records and any recognition I’ve received, and possibly even remove me from US Masters altogether,” Griffin said this week.
To contest the complaint, she is hiring a representative. “I tried to file a motion to dismiss because I wasn’t bullying anyone—I was just posting facts that anyone could verify,” she noted.
Last June, USMS revised its gender eligibility policy to restrict biological males from competing in women’s competitions. However, in February, they updated it again to align with state and local anti-discrimination laws, allowing the male/open category for all competitors, regardless of birth sex.
The new policy reads, “All members who select the Men’s/Open Category are eligible to participate in the Men’s/Open Category National Recognition Program, regardless of sex, gender, or gender identity/expression.”
In a similar vein, “All members in the Male/Open Category are also eligible for the Male/Open Category Regional Recognition Program, without regard to gender or gender identity/expression.”
