Australian Institute of Sport Expands GAFA with Five New Nations

The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) has strengthened its international leadership in female athlete health and performance by welcoming five new nations to the Global Alliance for Female Athletes (GAFA).

Established as an international partnership designed to close critical knowledge gaps, GAFA unites world-leading experts to optimise support systems for female athletes, coaches, and sports medicine providers.

Canada, France, Germany, Japan, and Switzerland have now officially joined founding members Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand, forming a robust global coalition dedicated to advancing targeted research, sharing expertise, and improving accessibility to evidence-based health resources worldwide.

Since its inception, the alliance has delivered a rapidly growing library of athlete-centred resources, including digital webinars, educational modules, podcasts, and practical toolkits, while fostering international collaboration on emerging research priorities. This expansion ensures that the coalition incorporates diverse perspectives from various sporting systems, driving superior health and performance outcomes for women and girls globally.

Highlighting the international appetite for collaborative innovation and knowledge exchange across borders, leader of the AIS Female Performance Health Initiative and inaugural chair of GAFA, Dr Rachel Harris, said: “GAFA was founded on a shared belief that female athletes everywhere deserve access to trusted, evidence-based information to support their health, wellbeing and performance.”

“The growth of GAFA to nine nations shows there is enormous appetite around the world to work together, share knowledge and create lasting change for female athletes.

“By working together across borders, we’re able to accelerate research, share lessons faster and ensure more female athletes benefit from the latest evidence and insights,” she said.

Dr Harris further noted that a core priority of the expanded alliance is ensuring that female-focused research reaches practitioners and competitors regardless of geographical constraints, while accurately reflecting the demographic diversity of female athletes worldwide.

Building upon foundational discussions held at international gatherings such as the Women in Sport Congress in Brisbane, GAFA’s network continues to scale effectively. Additionally, Ireland and Belgium have officially aligned with the coalition as supporting partners, committing to resource sharing and global advocacy.

The network now encompasses premier high-performance institutions including the UK Sports Institute, High Performance Sport New Zealand, the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee, and European bodies such as the French Institute of Sport and German Institute for Applied Training Science.

Don’t miss out on the latest in sports business – Subscribe today to the free Ministry of Sport newsletter and stay ahead of the game. For even more exclusive insights, event tickets, professional development and networking events, become a MoS Member today!.