World-leaders in female athlete research to descend upon Sydney

21 August 2023

Registrations are open for the 2024 Women in Sport Congress (WISC), which will see top health-experts from across the globe gather in Sydney to share important research around women’s health in sport.

First session of the inaugural WISC held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in 2023.

Building on the success of the recent sister Female Athlete Conference, opens in a new tab in Boston, the second 2024 WISC, opens in a new tab will be held at Jones Bay Wharf on Sydney Harbour from 6-9 March 2024.

The three-day congress is an initiative of the Australian Institute of Sport’s Female Performance and Health Initiative (FHPI), which aims to improve female athlete specific knowledge and systems of support.

AIS FPHI Project Lead Dr Rachel Harris attended the Boston conference and said the upcoming WISC will be crucial to continue the journey towards quality research and evidence-based practice for female athletes.

“There is a distinct lack of high-quality research and clinical evidence around female athlete health and performance, with less than 6% of Sports Science and Sports Medicine research on female athletes, which is something we need to drive to change,” Dr Harris said.

“But there is no point doing additional research if it doesn’t make it to the people it needs to, which is why conferences like WISC and FAC are so important.

“WISC aims to translate female athlete research into practice and bridges the gap between researchers and clinicians, and the athletes, coaches and their teams on the ground.”

Next year's congress will focus on advancing female health and performance knowledge, as well as normalising female athlete specific health considerations, including:

• pregnancy
• menstrual cycles
• hormonal contraception
• puberty and development
• breast and pelvic floor health.

Dr Harris said with more research and education, female athletes and their support teams would better understand their health and how they can use their cycle to their advantage.

“Normalising female athlete specific considerations is important so women, girls, and the people around them feel comfortable to talk openly about these topics,” she said.

“It’s about helping people understand that body changes and menstrual cycles are not necessarily negative – in fact they can help our women athletes excel.”

Registrations are now open for the 2024 WISC event, opens in a new tab, with the following research themes confirmed for next year's congress:

• Griffith University - Elite performers: Unlocking the key elements of leadership and athletic performance in sport
• Deakin University - A comprehensive exploration of the unique physiology of female athletes and its effect on performance and health
• Australian Catholic University - Fuelling success: optimising nutrition and recovery for performance and health in female athletes
• University of Sydney - Unveiling the power of collaboration: the interdisciplinary approach to research and practice with female athletes
• University of Canberra - Maximising impact in female athlete performance and health with translational research

To register for the congress or find more information visit the Women in Sport Congress website, opens in a new tab.

Dr Harris attended recent sister Female Athlete Conference held in Boston.