Female, woman and/or girl Athlete Injury pRevention (FAIR) practical recommendations: International Olympic Committee (IOC) consensus meeting held in Lausanne, Switzerland, 2025.
Female, woman and/or girl athletes' sport participation rates are rising and associated with high injury rates and burden. Using best-practice consensus methodology, we developed recommendations to guide injury prevention for female/woman/girl athletes. The Female/woman/girl Athlete Injury pRevention (FAIR) International Olympic Committee Consensus meeting was held from 31 March to 2 April 2025 (Lausanne, Switzerland).The FAIR Consensus followed an eight-step hybrid method. 109 authors from six continents conducted: (1) systematic reviews synthesising evidence on injury prevention strategies and modifiable risk factors for lower-extremity and upper-extremity injuries, concussions and spine/chest/abdominal/pelvic injuries/pain, (2) a scoping review synthesising dissemination and implementation (D&I) approaches; and (3) a concept mapping project generating knowledge on gender/sex-related factors for injury prevention. These projects underpinned draft recommendations subsequently voted on by a steering committee (n=24) and an external advisory committee chair over two anonymous survey rounds. Recommendations, Round 1 voting results and suggestions/dissenting comments were discussed between Round 1 and 2 voting. Consensus was defined as 'critical to include' (≥70% scored recommendation as 7-9 (9-point Likert scale, 1=not important; 9=critically important) AND ≤15% scored recommendation as 1-3).The 56 FAIR recommendations address: primary injury prevention (n=16) (policy/rules/laws=6; personal protective equipment=8; training=2); secondary injury prevention (n=4); modifiable risk factors (n=12); approaches to D&I (n=14); and promoting gender/sex-supportive environments (n=10).The FAIR Consensus informs evidence-based best practices and policy for injury prevention, approaches to implementation and creation of supportive environments for female/woman/girl athletes. Every person at all levels of sport can, and should, take responsibility for actions that positively influence female/woman/girl athlete health and safety.
Authors
Crossley Crossley, Whittaker Whittaker, Patterson Patterson, Shill Shill, Heming Heming, Bullock Bullock, Dijkstra Dijkstra, Donaldson Donaldson, McKay McKay, Mountjoy Mountjoy, Møller Møller, Owoeye Owoeye, Räisänen Räisänen, Schulz Schulz, Blauwet Blauwet, McHugh McHugh, Mosler Mosler, Myklebust Myklebust, Palmer Palmer, Ross Ross, Schneider Schneider, Thornton Thornton, Chintoh Chintoh, Verhagen Verhagen, Emery Emery
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