With those words, swimmer Hannah Caldas has forcefully responded to the media firestorm surrounding her five-year ban from the International Swimming Federation. At 47, Caldas—who identifies as a woman—now finds herself at the center of an international controversy after World Aquatics announced in late October 2025 that she would be suspended for refusing to undergo a chromosomal sex verification test demanded during an eligibility investigation.
Caldas competed in the women’s senior division at the 2024 World Aquatics Masters Championships in Doha, Qatar, securing multiple medals in races including the 50-meter freestyle and the 100-meter butterfly. But her victories prompted complaints from fellow competitors who questioned her eligibility under World Aquatics’ stringent policy requiring transgender women to provide proof of having no Y chromosome. That rule, updated in 2022, was introduced to ensure what the federation describes as “fairness” in both elite and masters-level competitions by barring athletes who transitioned after puberty.
Born in Vizela, Portugal, and now competing for the United States through the New York Swimming Federation, Caldas has built a distinguished career in masters swimming over more than three decades. She previously raced in men’s categories during her college years between 2002 and 2004, but has long since identified and competed as a woman, earning national records and accolades in U.S. Masters Swimming (USMS) events.
Her success in 2024 reignited scrutiny. After sweeping five gold medals at a meet in San Antonio in the 45–49 age bracket, backlash intensified—culminating in a state investigation led by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who accused USMS of deceptive practices that unfairly harmed female athletes. The probe reflected broader tensions surrounding transgender participation in women’s sports, an issue that has become increasingly politically charged.
Despite this, USMS cleared Caldas in August 2025, affirming her eligibility based on her female birth certificate and self-identification. That decision enabled her to continue competing domestically. World Aquatics, however, escalated the inquiry—demanding a genetic test, at her own expense, to determine whether she complied with their chromosomal criteria.
The test, which can require invasive DNA sampling such as blood draws or cheek swabs, often costs hundreds of dollars and is rarely covered by insurance when not medically necessary. Caldas refused, calling the demand a violation of her privacy and a dangerous precedent for all women athletes.
In a statement issued through the New York Swimming Federation on October 22, 2025, she declared: “I AM A WOMAN, I FEEL OFFENDED BY BEING FORCED TO TAKE A SEX TESTING.” She insisted her victories were earned: “My medals and achievements are thanks to my efforts,” she said, rejecting insinuations that her success was illegitimate.
Her remarks came amid a wave of media reports that misgendered her or portrayed her as a “trans man competing as a woman,” fueling a cycle of sensational coverage. Caldas fired back: “The media twists my story to fit agendas, ignoring the human cost of these demands.”
Her defense resonated widely, drawing support from LGBTQ+ advocacy organizations such as GLAAD and Athlete Ally, which praised her for defending “intimate medical information.” She emphasized the intrusive nature of genetic testing: “Chromosomal tests are invasive and expensive procedures. My insurance refuses to cover such a test because it is not medically necessary.” She also noted that no U.S. state requires DNA-based sex testing for recreational sports such as masters competition, nor does USMS mandate it for national events.
Two days later, on October 24, Caldas publicly acknowledged the consequences of her refusal: “I understand and accept the consequences of not complying with a World Aquatics investigation.” She added, “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.”
The sanction—effective until October 18, 2030—also nullifies all of her competitive results from June 19, 2022, to October 17, 2024, including her Doha medals. For Caldas, this represents a significant personal and financial loss; she invested thousands of dollars in travel and training for competitions she never viewed as professional pursuits, but as the culmination of a lifelong passion.
Beyond swimming, Caldas is also an accomplished CrossFit athlete and respected community coach, known for mentoring young swimmers in resilience and inclusivity. Her case has drawn comparisons to the 2022 controversy surrounding Lia Thomas, the first transgender woman to win an NCAA swimming title, who was also barred by World Aquatics after her challenge before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) failed. That ruling affirmed the federation’s authority to enforce chromosomal policies in the name of “integrity and fairness.”
Caldas has hinted at potentially appealing to CAS, but her reluctance was clear in a November 1, 2025 interview with PinkNews: “After 30 years in sanctioned events, I’m prepared to let it all go if it means standing for what’s right.”
Reactions to her suspension have been sharply divided. The Independent Council on Women’s Sports (ICONS) praised the ban as protecting cisgender athletes, while others condemned it as discriminatory. ICONS previously criticized Caldas’ margins of victory as “absolutely insane,” asserting that her performances mocked female competitors—claims Caldas refuted by sharing detailed performance data. She pointed out that her times in Doha aligned closely with established masters records held by diverse athletes, countering accusations that she possessed anomalous advantages. She emphasized that masters competition prioritizes personal improvement over ruthless rivalry, and that her preparation—hours of training, disciplined nutrition, and recovery from injuries—reflects the commitment of any serious athlete.
Her suspension reverberates far beyond the swimming community, re-energizing debates over transgender inclusion and gender verification policies in sports. The dispute parallels controversies from the 2024 Paris Olympics, including the case of Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, who was barred from the women’s category by the International Boxing Association over unspecified gender tests but ultimately won gold under IOC rules—setting off worldwide debate.
Caldas’ situation has similarly become a cultural flashpoint. Conservative outlets such as OutKick have labeled her a “trans-identifying male” undermining women’s spaces, while progressive commentators argue the core issue is privacy: why should one woman be compelled to undergo genetic testing when others are not?
As of November 11, 2025, Caldas has not filed an appeal, but public pressure is mounting. Petitions urging World Aquatics to amend its policies have surpassed 50,000 signatures on Change.org.
For now, Caldas has turned her focus to unsanctioned open-water swims and coaching, vowing: “The water doesn’t discriminate; why should we?”
Her story encapsulates one of the most pressing tensions in modern sports: striking a balance between competitive equity and human dignity as gender policies evolve. World Aquatics maintains that its rules are rooted in extensive consultation—over 600 athletes contributed to the 2022 framework—and point to the introduction of an “open category” for transgender competitors, though adoption has been minimal amid stigma and logistical uncertainty.
The contrast between international and national policies has left athletes like Caldas navigating conflicting standards—eligible at home, barred abroad.
Looking ahead, she is channeling her experience into a memoir tentatively titled Laps of Liberty, tracing her path from Portuguese swimming pools to American advocacy. As she told SwimSwam on November 5: “This isn’t just my fight—it’s for every woman tired of proving her womanhood on a lab slide.”
Caldas’ determination offers a powerful reminder that true athleticism often reveals itself not only in competition, but in the willingness to confront deeply uncomfortable truths—stroke by stroke, against the current, refusing to be pulled under.
