Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against U.S. Masters Swimming, accusing the organization of violating the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act.
According to Paxton, U.S. Masters Swimming engaged in deceptive practices by permitting transgender competitors to participate in women’s races.
The event at the center of the case took place in San Antonio, drawing participants from across the country. The Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act is designed to protect consumers from misleading or false practices.
Paxton’s office contends that not disclosing the inclusion of transgender athletes may have affected participants’ expectations about the nature of the competition.
U.S. Masters Swimming, a national organization that oversees adult competitive swimming, has not yet issued a public statement in response.
The lawsuit alleges that the organization failed to provide participants with accurate information about the composition of the competitive field.
Paxton’s office argues that such omissions could be considered deceptive under Texas consumer protection law, which is typically applied to more traditional business transactions.