Interim USMS Eligibility Policy

Interim USMS Policy on Participation in the Men’s and Women’s Competition Category and Eligibility for Official Recognition Programs

U.S. Masters Swimming exists to empower adults to improve their lives through swimming and strives to ensure our members feel included in all USMS programs. With its history dating back to a swim meet in 1970, USMS also recognizes the importance of fair competition in USMS events and recognition programs. Gender identity and differences in sexual development (DSD) create unique and complex challenges in creating a national policy that balances organizational values, the broad range of membership views and perspectives related to gender identity and competition, the applicable World Aquatics Policies, and various state and local regulations to which USMS is subject.

In accordance with USMS Code of Regulations and Rules of Competition Article 102.5.3, this USMS policy is intended to guide eligibility for participation in the men's and women's competition categories in USMS-sanctioned pool and open water competitions and separately guide eligibility for USMS recognition programs. As a member federation of World Aquatics, USMS modeled this policy after applicable parts of the World Aquatics' Policy on Eligibility for the Men's and Women's Competition Categories.

You can learn more about our policy by visiting our FAQs page.

Definitions
1. “Female Sex” means assignment of female sex at birth.
2. “Male Sex” means assignment of male sex at birth
3. “Differences of Sexual Development” (DSD) are a group of conditions where external genital appearance is discordant with internal sex organs (testes and ovaries). This Policy is only concerned with 46 XY DSD (i.e., DSD affecting members with testes).
4. The term “Transgender” refers to individuals whose gender identity and/or expression differs from the sex they were assigned at birth.
5. USMS “Recognition Programs” are competitive awards and rankings offered within USMS. Examples include: USMS records, Top 10, All-American, placing and scoring of points at all sanctioned events, and all similar LMSC-level competitive recognition programs.
Participation:
1. USMS allows members to register for the competition category that aligns with their gender identity and/or expression and to participate in sanctioned events in that category. However, swimmers will not be included in Recognition Programs (as defined above) unless they are swimming in the competition category that aligns with their sex assigned at birth or they meet the eligibility requirements outlined below.
Certification:
Members must certify their sex assigned at birth with USMS during member registration and during registration for sanctioned events to be eligible for Recognition Programs. Failure to do so, or provision of a false certification, will render the athlete ineligible for Recognition Programs. USMS reserves the right to ask for documents, which may include but is not limited to birth certificate, government identification, or relevant medical tests to support a member's statements on their sex assigned at birth. Any cost will be the responsibility of the member. Results for members who seek to swim in a category that does not align with their sex assigned at birth and who are not otherwise eligible for Recognition Programs will be removed from Recognition Programs. Those results will remain in the results database.

USMS may investigate any circumstances that indicate actual or potential non-compliance with the policy. Should USMS, in its sole discretion, determine that an investigation is necessary, a panel will be convened made up of the Rules Committee Chair (or designee from the Rules Committee), the Long Distance Committee Chair (or designee from the Long Distance Committee), the Diversity and Inclusion Committee Chair (or designee from the Diversity and Inclusion Committee), the USMS Board President (or designee from the USMS Board of Directors), the USMS Legal Counsel, and the USMS Chief Executive Officer. Additional subject matter experts including, but not limited to, medical professionals and outside legal counsel, will provide further guidance.
Eligibility for USMS Recognition Programs:
1. Eligibility for Recognition Programs in the Men's Category
  1. Members of the Male Sex, members who identify as male (i.e., transgender men), and members with 46 XY DSD are eligible for Recognition Programs in the men's category, regardless of their gender identity or gender expression.
2. Eligibility for Recognition Programs in the Women's Category
  1. Members of the Female Sex are eligible for Recognition Programs in the women's category, regardless of their gender identity or gender expression.
  2. Members with 46 XY DSD whose gender identity or gender expression is female are eligible for Recognition Programs in the women's category if they can establish to USMS's comfortable satisfaction that their sex assigned at birth is female.
Other Considerations:
1. This policy will not determine the eligibility of members to compete in World Aquatics competitions or to set World Aquatics World Records. For the avoidance of doubt, World Aquatics Policies supersede USMS policy for World Aquatics records, World Aquatics events, and World Aquatics Top 10 recognition.
2. An individual who is already a registered USMS member and begins a transition process that would affect their eligibility under this policy may change their competition category of record or re-register with a different member record in the new gender. This policy applies before, during, and after transition as it relates to Recognition Programs. In no case will a change in competition category as allowable under this policy include a change of prior results that were eligible for Recognition Programs. The individual is responsible for notifying USMS of any change in eligibility and may do so by emailing eligibility@usmastersswimming.org.
3. Times from swims in recognized events (as defined in USMS Code of Regulations and Rules of Competition, Article 202.2) for swimmers who are also a USMS member but are ineligible for Recognition Programs because of this policy may be included in USMS results but those results will not be used for Recognition Programs. However, USMS policies on participation do not apply to recognized events, and specific event organizers may have differing guidelines. Please check event information or contact the event host of any events that are not USMS-sanctioned for more information.
4. All USMS members and one-event registrants are subject to the USMS Code of Conduct.
5. USMS article 402.4.6 addresses discrimination and that application of USMS Code of Regulations and Rules of Competition Part 1: Swimming Rules regarding age groups, sex or gender categories, swimwear, and guidelines for officiating swimmers with disabilities shall not be considered as violations of this article.
6. USMS will continue to align with applicable World Aquatics Policy and will evaluate adjustments to the policy and associated procedures when World Aquatics Policy is amended or when additional information on transgender, non-binary, and DSD participation evolves. Questions on this policy and corresponding procedures shall be submitted to rules@usmastersswimming.org and eligibility@usmastersswimming.org.