World Aquatics has issued a five-year suspension to American Masters swimmer Hannah Caldas.
Caldas competed at the 2024 Masters World Championships in the women’s category.
She was suspended for violating the following:
- Article 5.1, Article 5.2, Article 6 c), and Article 10.2 of the World Aquatics Integrity Code;
- The violations of the World Aquatics Integrity Code involve providing false information, failing to act honestly, and engaging in conduct that undermines integrity.
- Section F.2 a) and Section F.4 b) of the Policy on Eligibility for the Men’s and Women’s Competition Categories;
- The violations of the Policy on Eligibility for the Men’s and Women’s Competition Categories relate to false sex certification and failure to meet the women’s eligibility criteria.
- and Section B.2, Section B.7, and Section B.9 of the Operational Requirements to the Policy.
- The violations of the Operational Requirements to the Policy concern non-compliance with policy terms, missing required documentation, and breaches of procedural obligations.
The suspension will run until October 18, 2030. Additionally, all of Caldas’ results from June 19, 2022, until October 17, 2024, will be disqualified.
In August, U.S. Masters Swimming’s Eligibility Review Panel closed its review on Caldas’ eligibility to compete at the 2025 Masters Spring Nationals. USMS says the Panel’s ultimate finding was that Caldas was eligible for competition in the female category.
New York Aquatics issued a statement on behalf of Caldas in response to the World Aquatics suspension on Wednesday. See below:
Courtesy: New York Aquatics
New York, NY — Today, World Aquatics announced a five-year suspension of masters swimmer Hannah Caldas from World Masters competition and the disqualification of her results from the Doha 2024 World Aquatics Championships.
During the investigation, World Aquatics required Ms. Caldas to undergo a genetic or chromosomal test—at her own expense—to “prove” compliance with the organization’s “chromosomal sex” requirement under its Gender Policy to take part in the older-adult recreational World Aquatics Masters competition. This test was required even after Ms. Caldas provided World Aquatics with her birth certificate identifying her as female.
“Chromosomal tests are invasive and expensive procedures,” Ms. Caldas said. “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.” Ms. Caldas has been cleared of misconduct by U.S. Masters Swimming arising out of her past participation in U.S. Masters Swimming sanctioned events.
Masters swimming does not award prize money; in fact, Ms. Caldas personally paid thousands of dollars to travel to Doha and compete. She has also faced repeated violent threats in recent months simply for participating in swimming events.
“I understand and accept the consequences of not complying with a World Aquatics investigation,” she continued. “But 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.”
Despite her love of Masters swimming, Ms. Caldas says she has no plans to participate in sanctioned U.S. Masters Swimming or World Aquatics Masters meets in the foreseeable future.
“I have been swimming in sanctioned events for over 30 years, and I am prepared to let it all go. My life and privacy have been invaded enough,” she said. “It is time to prioritize my health and personal safety.”
Read the full story on SwimSwam: Masters Swimmer Hannah Caldas Responds To World Aquatics Suspension
