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Angie Griffin, a United States Masters Swimming (USMS) competitor, told PK Press Club Digital that a grievance was filed against her for referring to a trans athlete as a “man” on a league community forum.
The USMS confirmed that a complaint was filed by a competitor.
“US Masters Swimming does not comment on individual member matters, including complaints or disciplinary proceedings,” the organization said in a statement to PK Press Club Digital. “We can confirm that a complaint was made by an individual member, not US Masters Swimming, regarding the USMS Code of Conduct. As with all such matters, it is being handled in accordance with our established review processes.”
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Griffin has been open about competing in the USMS against a biological trans male athlete since May 2025, when she told PK Press Club Digital that she faced a trans competitor in a competition in San Antonio, but didn’t even find out the athlete’s birth sex until after the event.
She now claims the grievance could cost her all of her USMS records.
“They can possibly remove all my times, any kind of recognition that I’ve had and maybe just remove me from the US Masters, for expressing an opinion and honestly, speaking on facts,” Griffin told PK Press Club Digital this week.
The California girls’ sports culture war is growing with massive protests and outrage over recent track and field headlines.
Griffin said she has now hired a representative to try to fight the grievance.
“I tried to file a motion to dismiss, proving that I had not bullied anyone online, that I had simply published facts for everyone to see,” she added.
After the USMS updated its gender eligibility policy last June to prevent biological males from competing in women’s events, the organization updated its policy again in February to comply with state and local non-discrimination laws, primarily addressing the men’s/open category, which is open to all competitors regardless of birth sex.
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A swimmer competes in the women’s 200m breaststroke during the 15th FINA World Masters Championships at Parc Jean-Drapeau on August 8, 2014, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
“All members who select the men’s/open category are eligible for national recognition programs in the men’s/open category, regardless of their sex, gender, or gender identity/expression,” the new policy states.
“All members who select the Men’s/Open category are eligible for local recognition programs in the Men’s/Open category, regardless of their sex, gender, or gender identity/expression.”
