World Aquatics has handed American Masters swimmer Hannah Caldas a five-year suspension due to their failure to take a chromosomal test that would verify biological sex.
The 48-year-old swimmer will be banned until October 2030, and all competitive results from the past three years have been wiped from the record books.
The governing body announced the sanctions after Caldas refused to undergo the gene test, which determines whether an athlete is biologically male or female.
The decision not to comply with the investigation means all achievements dating back to 2022 have been wiped, including several championship victories.
World Aquatics has handed American Masters swimmer Hannah Caldas a five-year suspension after she declined to take a chromosomal test that would verify her biological sex
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XCaldas had been enjoying remarkable success in recent competitions. At last year’s World Aquatics Masters Championships in Doha, the swimmer claimed victory in the women’s 100m freestyle for her age group.
Caldas also secured silver in the 50m freestyle and bronze in the 50m breaststroke.
The winning streak was continued earlier this year by topping the podium in all five individual races at the US Masters Swimming Spring National Championship.
Hannah Caldas is said to have competed in men’s competition in 2002
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Caldas previously competed in men’s events at USMS competitions between 2002 and 2004.
In August, US Masters Swimming reviewed the swimmer’s eligibility and concluded they could compete in women’s categories.
They stated that the submitted documents showed they were assigned female at birth and identifies as female. World Aquatics take a different view.
Caldas has been clear, calling chromosomal tests “invasive and expensive procedures.”
The swimmer explained that her insurance won’t cover the cost “because it is not medically necessary.”
“Not even US Masters Swimming, the national governing body for recreational adult swimming in the US, demands this for any of its events,” Caldas said.
🏊♂️Hugo “Hannah/Ana” Caldas explained his refusal to take a simple cheek-swab sex-verification test partly as a matter of finances.
ICONS offers to cover the (approximately $100) cost to remove the financial burden from Caldas’ shoulders and allow verification of his genetic sex… https://t.co/Wi4Wt9QA1I pic.twitter.com/CO3iViM6gp
— ICONS (@icons_women) October 22, 2025
“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.”
Caldas has announced the decision to walk from competitive swimming after more than 30 years in the sport.
“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. It is time to prioritise my health and personal safety.”
The swimmer came tantalisingly close to Olympic glory, missing out on qualifying for Portugal at the 2012 London Games by just 0.3 seconds in the women’s 50m freestyle.
Beyond the pool, the swimmer has achieved success in other sports, winning multiple CrossFit competitions worldwide and matching the women’s 500m indoor rowing world record four years ago.