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June 9, 2023
To champion women’s health, the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) and its lead global sponsor and official health partner, Hologic, have created a new group to focus on performance health and development of women and girls in sport. The Hologic WTA Women’s Health Taskforce is comprised of world leading women athletes and healthcare experts with the goal to support “healthy and sustainable lifecycles for female athletes and women.”
The taskforce, consisting of six WTA athletes and 19 medical advisors, will be led by the WTA Performance Health team and its expertise in sports science and medicine. Its launch coincides with the WTA’s 50th anniversary marked by the organization’s ‘Just Starting’ campaign, which celebrates women’s equality and empowerment in sport over the last five decades. Data and experience accumulated over the 50 years about professional athletes will be leveraged to pursue the highest standards of knowledge and resources for women’s health globally.
This new initiative intends to support WTA athletes and active women worldwide by delivering new pathways to healthier lives through education, expanded care and further research and policy standards. Its help will also extend to adolescent development in girls and specialization in female performance health.
“We have a unique opportunity to influence the next generation of not only athlete care but also how women worldwide approach their health and well-being at every stage of life,” said Kim Clijsters, a former WTA World No.1, mother of three and athlete member of the taskforce.
The collective has outlined a range of issues it plans to address, including sexual and reproductive health, physical and physiological health, injury and illness prevention, the female life span and technology and equipment. For each of these topics, resources will be provided to improve education, governance standards and protocols, preventive care and longitudinal data. The taskforce’s initial focus will be on new strategies to improve breast health, bone health and reproductive health within their respective networks, while leveraging findings to bolster related research.
“It’s truly groundbreaking that we’re able to bring together top athletes, top medical experts and two organizations who are leaders in championing women, all working collaboratively to improve women’s health,” said Dr. Susan Harvey, MD, taskforce co-chair and Hologic’s Vice President of Global Medical Affairs.
Last year, WTA and Hologic announced a landmark multi-year partnership that sees the two organizations highlight that women’s health is foundational to wellbeing. The partnership includes collaboration between current WTA players and legends, where Hologic will inspire women to make their health a greater priority through preventive care. Additionally, with access to Hologic’s scanning equipment, the WTA has increased its frequency of preventive healthcare screenings for its athletes. This taskforce is the latest endeavor by the duo to amplify its joint mission of championing women and making their health a top priority.
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