Male Swimmer Who Dominated Women's Events Gets 5-Year Ban For Refusing Sex Test

A trans-identifying male swimmer has been banned for five years by World Aquatics after refusing to submit to a genetic sex test.

Hannah "Hugo" Caldas, a 48-year-old male who competed in the women's division at the 2024 World Aquatics Masters Championships in Doha, has officially been suspended until 2030. In addition to the five-year ban, Caldas' results from June 2022 through October 2024 have been disqualified.

World Aquatics cited multiple violations of its Integrity Code, including "providing false information, failing to act honestly, and engaging in conduct that undermines integrity." The organization also found Caldas violated its eligibility policy for the women's category, which now requires proof of no Y chromosome.

The five-year suspension comes just months after Caldas swept five events at the U.S. Masters Swimming (USMS) Spring National Championships in San Antonio, dominating the women's 45-49 age category. The performance sparked backlash from athletes and prompted a formal lawsuit from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who accused USMS of "depriving female participants of the opportunity to succeed."

Hannah Caldas Responds To World Aquatics Suspension

Caldas — who swam in men's competitions while in college — rejected the testing requirement, calling it invasive and unnecessary.

"Chromosomal tests are invasive and expensive procedures," Caldas said in a statement, via New York Aquatics. "My insurance refuses to cover such a test because it is not medically necessary. No U.S. state requires genetic tests for recreational sports events like these. Not even U.S. Masters Swimming, the national governing body for recreational adult swimming in the U.S., demands this for any of its events."

Caldas said the decision to refuse testing was made in order to protect "intimate medical information."

"If a five-year suspension is the price I must pay to protect my most intimate medical information, then it’s a price I am happy to pay — for myself, and for every other woman who does not want to submit to highly invasive medical testing just to swim in an older-adult competition," Caldas said.

Caldas' victory margins in San Antonio raised eyebrows across the swimming community. In the 50-yard breaststroke alone, Caldas beat the next-fastest competitor by three full seconds. That's an eternity in sprint events.

The Independent Council on Women’s Sports (ICONS) previously slammed the results as "a blatant mockery" of female competition. 

"There is no length of time during which testosterone suppression eliminates male advantage," ICONS said in a letter to U.S. Masters Swimming. "Therefore, it should not serve as a guideline permitting men to compete in women’s swimming."

USMS allows trans-identifying males to compete against women if their testosterone levels are below a certain threshold, though it's unclear whether that policy has been consistently enforced. World Aquatics, on the other hand, updated its policy to require genetic testing in order to preserve fairness in the women's division.

World Aquatics requires competitors to submit to a genetic sex test before entering women's events.

(Getty Images)

Still, Caldas insists that the punishment from World Aquatics is unwarranted.

"I have been swimming in sanctioned events for over 30 years, and I am prepared to let it all go," Caldas said. "My life and privacy have been invaded enough. It is time to prioritize my health and personal safety."

That's fine. Caldas can refuse testing. World Aquatics can enforce its rules.

And judging by this outcome, the policy seems to be working.