Hannah Caldas was 48 years old and had an impeccable Masters career when everything came to a halt over a piece of paperwork.
World Aquatics required her to undergo a chromosomal test to confirm that she could continue competing in the women’s category. She refused, saying the test was invasive, extremely expensive, and that neither her health insurance nor the US Masters Swimming rules considered it necessary.
Months earlier, a panel from that same organization had already reviewed her documentation and confirmed that she had been born and identified as a woman.
It didn’t matter. The international federation erased the results she achieved between 2022 and 2024 and barred her from the pools until 2030. Caldas, born in Vizela, Portugal, and based in California, chose to leave competitive swimming rather than hand over medical information that she considers hers and no one else’s. What do you think?
