QENDO Welcomes the Launch of the Global Alliance for Female Athletes (GAFA) to Advance Female Health and Performance
QENDO Welcomes the Launch of the Global Alliance for Female Athletes (GAFA) to Advance Female Health and Performance
March 5, 2025 – QENDO proudly supports the formation of the Global Alliance for Female Athletes (GAFA), an international collaboration between leading health practitioners and sports scientists from Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand. This pioneering initiative is set to revolutionize female athlete health by providing free, world-class evidence, performance insights, and best-practice information to athletes, coaches, and support staff worldwide.
GAFA aims to close the critical gap in health literacy and research surrounding female-specific conditions that impact athletic performance, such as endometriosis, adenomyosis, menstrual health disorders, and hormonal imbalances. With misinformation and a lack of awareness still widespread, athletes often miss early warning signs of health issues, leading to missed training days, decreased performance, or premature exits from their sports.
QENDO has long advocated for better education and support for female athletes. In 2018 and 2019, QENDO partnered with Paralympian Monique Murphy to deliver educational programs to Australia’s elite swimmers, helping athletes and their support teams better understand endometriosis and its impact on performance. This early work highlighted the urgent need for greater awareness and medical support within high-performance sport.
'I was fortunate to find QENEO when I was first diagnosed, but that community and resources was missing from sport. The few of us in sport banded together and it's truly exciting to see this global alliance be announced and know the next athlete facing conditions such as endometriosis will have the support, information and validation they deserve.” Monique Murphy, Paralympian.
“We’ve seen firsthand how athletes struggle with menstrual and pelvic health conditions in silence,” said Jess Taylor, CEO of QENDO. “Through our previous work with Australia’s swimmers, we recognised the importance of evidence-based education and empowering athletes with knowledge. GAFA is a crucial step in progressing this work further on a global scale.”
Dr. Helen Futcher, Athlete Performance Support Lead at High Performance Sport New Zealand (HPSNZ), emphasized the urgent need for change:
“Female athlete research, knowledge, and education lag significantly behind that of male athletes. By bringing together international expertise, GAFA will address this inequality, ensuring that female athletes and their support networks can access cutting-edge, digestible, and applicable information.”
Dr. Richard Burden, Female Athlete Health and Performance Lead at the UK Sport Institute, reinforced GAFA’s vision:
“If we can raise awareness and prioritization of female athlete health and performance across all nations, GAFA will be a success. This collaboration marks a crucial step in ensuring that female athletes receive the specialized support they need to thrive.”
QENDO, Australia’s leading not-for-profit supporting individuals with endometriosis and pelvic pain, recognizes the transformative potential of GAFA. With 1 in 7 Australians living with endometriosis, and many athletes experiencing performance-limiting menstrual health challenges, QENDO applauds GAFA’s commitment to evidence-based education and global collaboration.
“At QENDO, we know firsthand the barriers that female athletes face when dealing with conditions like endometriosis and pelvic pain. This alliance will empower athletes with knowledge, improve health outcomes, and create a more equitable playing field,” said Jess Taylor, CEO of QENDO.
GAFA will officially launch its website next month, providing a centralised hub of resources for athletes, coaches, and medical professionals. Future initiatives will include joint research projects, athlete education programs, and further collaboration at key international sporting events.
QENDO looks forward to engaging with GAFA and contributing its expertise to ensure that no athlete is left behind due to a lack of health support.
For more information, visit QENDO’s website or follow GAFA’s updates as they go live.
Media Contact:
Jess Taylor
CEO, QENDO
About QENDO
QENDO is an Australian not-for-profit organisation providing education, support, and advocacy for people living with endometriosis, adenomyosis, pelvic pain, and PCOS. Through its national helpline, community initiatives, and expert-led resources, QENDO empowers individuals to take control of their health and well-being.