World Aquatics has officially launched a new global webinar series focused on women’s health, with a powerful opening session dedicated to menstrual health in elite aquatic sports. Open to athletes, coaches, national federations and support staff, the initiative aims to promote education, reduce stigma and encourage open, evidence-based conversations on key health topics affecting female athletes.
The webinar builds on strong engagement seen during the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) held in Budapest in December 2024, where the topic of menstrual health sparked meaningful discussion. You can find more information on that session here.
This first webinar session, delivered in two time slots to accommodate a global audience, drew a total of 394 participants - with 145 attending the morning session and 249 in the afternoon.
Topics explored during the session included breaking the taboo on talking about the menstrual cycle and how coaches and support teams can foster more inclusive practices.
The level of engagement and interaction was high, with active Q&A segments and engaging discussions in the live chat. This demonstrated a widespread desire for more open conversations around women’s health in sport.
The webinar builds on strong engagement seen during the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) held in Budapest in December 2024
Leading voices from across the global aquatics community
Olympic Champion and Co-Host of this first webinar, Pernille Blume reflected on the webinar series with a personal note;
“For a long time, I felt I had to keep this part of my life hidden for my career, but learning to understand and work with my cycle made me not only a better athlete, but a more empowered one. Now, as a World Aquatics Bureau Member, I want to use my platform to advocate for more conversations around women’s health, as we build a more confident global community.”
Olympic Champion and Co-Host of this first webinar, Pernille Blume is committed to helping build a more empowered and confident global aquatics community
Caroline Jouisse, Open Water Olympian and Co-Host of the first webinar, shared her own experience and hopes for change:
“When I started out, these discussions simply didn’t happen. To see this conversation happening so openly now is incredibly encouraging. The level of engagement in the webinars is exciting and I truly hope it’s just the beginning.”
Tom Rushton, elite coach, offered insights from a coaching perspective:
“High performance and elite competition isn’t just about ensuring strong physical output - it’s about knowing your athlete as a whole person. Creating a space where athletes feel safe to talk about their personal experiences and health is so important and is a necessary foundation for peak performance. I hope from these webinars, coaches can feel more empowered to address the topic.”
Marine Dupuit, Sport Scientist at the French Institute of Sport Performance, presented the latest research on the menstrual cycle’s impact on athletic performance:
“Scientific literature shows that the menstrual cycle can affect all aspects of an athlete’s life in sport, from motivation, physical capacities (endurance, strength) to recovery. By tailoring training accordingly when necessary, the long-term development and wellbeing of the global aquatics community can be enhanced. It's essential to consider menstrual cycles alongside performance, and through these webinars, we're equipping coaches with the knowledge needed to make that possible."
Caroline Jouisse and Marine Dupuit offered insights to athletes both in the webinar and at the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) held in Budapest in December 2024
A clear call for continued dialogue
A poll conducted during one of the sessions revealed that 50% of participants still feel there is stigma or embarrassment when speaking about menstrual health - particularly with coaches or fellow athletes. This demonstrates the importance of further education, open discussion and supportive environments across all levels of aquatics.
Further resources are available here
Looking ahead
The next instalment in the webinar series is scheduled for June 2025, with details to be confirmed in due course.
World Aquatics is committed to supporting female athletes both in and out of the water through education and empowerment. This webinar series is one example of that.