MEDIA RELEASE
Australian Paralympic Silver Medalist, Monique Murphy lives with endometriosis. She welcomes the launch of the Global Alliance for Female Athlete.
Endometriosis Coalition applauds the launch of the Global Alliance for Female Athletes (GAFA) to advance female health and performance
March 07, 2025 – The Endometriosis Coalition, Australia’s peak body for endometriosis and pelvic pain, welcomes the launch of the Global Alliance for Female Athletes (GAFA)—a groundbreaking international initiative uniting leading health practitioners and sports scientists from Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand.
GAFA aims to bridge the gap in female athlete health literacy, ensuring athletes, coaches, and support staff have access to world-leading, evidence-based education on female-specific health conditions—including endometriosis, adenomyosis, menstrual health disorders, and hormonal imbalances—at no cost.
Endometriosis affects 1 in 7 Australian women and those assigned female at birth, often causing debilitating pain, fatigue, and fertility challenges. Yet, research into how pelvic pain and menstrual disorders impact performance in elite sport has been historically underfunded and overlooked. Athletes experiencing these conditions often go undiagnosed for years, leading to missed training sessions, reduced performance, or premature exits from their sport.
Dr. Helen Futcher, Athlete Performance Support Lead at High Performance Sport New Zealand (HPSNZ), underscored the importance of addressing this disparity:
“Female athlete research, knowledge, and education significantly lag behind that of male athletes. GAFA will help close this gap by bringing together international expertise to ensure female athletes and their support teams have access to the latest, most applicable research and best practices.”
The Endometriosis Coalition has long advocated for stronger education and awareness in elite sport. In 2018 and 2019, Australian Paralympian Monique Murphy partnered with QENDO, a leading member organization of the Endometriosis Coalition, to deliver educational programs to Australia’s elite swimmers on the impact of endometriosis on training and performance. This initiative laid the foundation for greater recognition of menstrual health in high-performance sport—progress that GAFA will now expand on a global scale.
Australian Paralympian Monique Murphy has long been a champion for menstrual health in sport, working with our member organisation, QENDO to educate Australia’s elite swimmers on endometriosis. She’s excited about GAFA’s potential:
“What I’m most excited about is that these resources are for the whole sports community. Coaches and support staff can educate themselves to be the support the athletes deserve, so these conditions can be managed correctly and not be the barrier to performance like they have been for some in the past.”
Jess Taylor, Chair, Endometriosis Coalition celebrtaed this announcement:
“For too long, endometriosis and pelvic pain have been dismissed as ‘normal’ parts of female sport, leaving athletes to suffer in silence. Through GAFA, we have an opportunity to dismantle outdated myths, provide better medical support, and ensure that female athletes can reach their full potential—without being held back by undiagnosed, untreated health conditions.”
Dr. Richard Burden, Female Athlete Health and Performance Lead at the UK Sport Institute, echoed this sentiment:
“If we can raise awareness and prioritization of female athlete health and performance across all nations, GAFA will be a success. This initiative is a crucial step in ensuring that all female athletes receive the specialized support they need to thrive.”
GAFA’s official website will launch next month, providing a centralised hub for athletes, coaches, and medical professionals to access trusted, evidence-based education on female health and performance. Future initiatives will include joint research projects, athlete education programs, and collaboration at key international sporting events.
The Endometriosis Coalition is proud to support GAFA’s mission and looks forward to collaborating on improving education, advocacy, and medical research into endometriosis, adenomyosis, and pelvic pain—ensuring that no athlete is forced to choose between their health and their sporting career.
For more information, visit www.endometriosiscoalition.org.au or follow GAFA’s updates as they go live.
Media Contact:
Jess Taylor, Chair, Endometriosis Coalition
Email: info@acendo.com.au
Phone: 0434106341
About the Endometriosis Coalition
The Endometriosis Coalition is Australia’s peak body for endometriosis and pelvic pain, representing patients, healthcare professionals, researchers, and advocacy organisation’s. The Coalition drives national collaboration, policy change, and research investment to improve diagnosis, treatment, and support for the 1 in 7 Australians living with endometriosis and pelvic pain. Through partnerships with health professionals, government, and community organisations, the Endometriosis Coalition empowers those affected and works toward systemic change.