Texas attorney general sues adult swimming group for allowing transgender competitors

The Texas attorney general has sued an adult swimming program after two transgender women were allowed to compete at a meet this spring in San Antonio, with one placing first in several events.

The suit alleged that U.S. Masters Swimming undermined the trust of consumers through “false, deceptive, and misleading practices” because it said the other swimmers faced what it described as an unfair disadvantage in the Spring Nationals competition in April.

U.S. Masters Swimming said in a statement that it has been cooperating fully with Attorney General Ken Paxton’s investigation, which comes as a nationwide battle over the participation of transgender athletes has played out at both the state and federal levels.

“It is deeply disappointing to see our organization and individual members publicly targeted in a lawsuit that appears to be more about generating headlines than seeking justice,” the statement said.

Republicans have leveraged the issue as a fight for athletic fairness for women and girls.

Paxton said in a news release Thursday that U.S. Masters Swimming “has deprived female participants of the opportunity to succeed at the highest levels by letting men win countless events.”

White Sox place All-Star rookie right-hander Shane Smith on IL with sprained ankle

PITTSBURGH >> White Sox rookie Shane Smith was placed on the 15-day injured list with a sprained left ankle on Saturday, four days after the right-hander pitched in the All-Star Game as Chicago’s lone representative.

The White Sox did not immediately provide details on how or when the injury occurred. Smith faced two batters in the eighth inning of Tuesday night’s Midsummer Classic in Atlanta, hitting one and retiring the next on a fielder’s choice. His move to the IL was retroactive to Wednesday.

Smith pitched three innings in a loss to Cleveland on July 11, an abbreviated start that manager Will Venable said was planned.

The 25-year-old Smith is 3-7 with a 4.26 ERA in 18 starts. Chicago selected him in the Rule 5 draft in December, and he became the second player to make an All-Star team in the year immediately after being taken in that draft.

The White Sox recalled right-hander Wikelman González from Triple-A Charlotte to take Smith’s roster spot. Also Saturday, Chicago reinstated infielder/outfielder Brooks Baldwin from the 10-day IL and optioned outfielder Will Robertson to Charlotte.

Chase Elliott wins the pole at Dover after rain washes out NASCAR qualifying

DOVER, Del. >> Chase Elliott took advantage of heavy rain at Dover Motor Speedway to earn the pole for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race.

Elliott and the rest of the field never got to turn a scheduled practice or qualifying lap on Saturday because of rain that pounded the concrete mile track. Dover is scheduled to hold its first July race since the track’s first one in 1969.

Elliott has two wins and 10 top-five finishes in 14 career races at Dover.

Chase Briscoe starts second, followed by Christopher Bell, Tyler Reddick and William Byron. Shane van Gisbergen, last week’s winner at Sonoma Raceway, Michael McDowell, Joey Logano, Ty Gibbs and Kyle Busch complete the top 10.

Logano is set to become the youngest driver in NASCAR history with 600 career starts.

— The Associated Press