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IOC's New 'Athlete Health First' Policy Spurs Injury Concerns for Female Olympians

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  Published in Sports and Competition on Wednesday, December 3rd 2025 at 11:54 GMT by UPI

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Body Shaming, Injury Risk, and the IOC’s New Playbook for Female Athletes

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has once again found itself under scrutiny—this time for the unintended health consequences of its own attempts to curb body‑shaming in elite sports. On 3 December 2025, UPI Health News published a detailed examination of how the IOC’s recent policy updates, aimed at encouraging healthier body images among female athletes, are paradoxically linked to an increased risk of injury and disordered eating. The article also follows a chain of links to broader research, governing‑body guidelines, and the IOC’s own policy documents, painting a complex picture of a sport culture that still struggles to balance aesthetic expectations with athlete welfare.

The Core Controversy

At the heart of the debate lies a new IOC initiative launched in late 2024, “Athlete Health First,” which seeks to “reduce the stigma of ‘body shaming’” by encouraging athletes to talk openly about their body image concerns. While the policy’s intent is to foster a more supportive environment, the UPI article notes that it has inadvertently amplified the pressure on female athletes to maintain ultra‑low body weight, especially in sports where weight classes or body‑size aesthetics remain central (e.g., gymnastics, figure skating, and wrestling). The article cites a 2024 IOC working paper that warned that “the risk of over‑training and injury rises when athletes push to meet unrealistic body standards.”

The policy, according to the piece, was framed in response to a 2023 UN Women report that highlighted a 27 % rise in eating‑disorder diagnoses among female Olympic athletes. Yet the same UPI piece argues that the IOC’s emphasis on “body positivity” has not yet been translated into concrete medical protocols that safeguard athletes from the long‑term damage of chronic under‑nutrition.

Links to Further Context

• United Nations Women’s Report (2023) – The article links to the UN Women briefing that identified “body‑shaming” and “performance‑related weight loss” as the leading drivers of disordered eating among female athletes worldwide.
• International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) Guidelines – In gymnastics and weightlifting, the IWF has strict body‑mass categories. The UPI piece quotes IWF officials who argue that a more flexible approach to weight‑cutting is needed, citing their 2025 "Healthy Weight Management" protocol.
• WHO Nutrition and Sports Guidelines – The World Health Organization’s 2025 “Nutrition for Performance” guide is referenced, emphasizing the need for adequate caloric intake and balanced macro‑nutrition to prevent injury.
• IOC Athlete Health & Performance Programme – The article provides a link to the IOC’s official website where the “Athlete Health & Performance Programme” outlines strategies for injury prevention, but critics note that this framework has been under‑implemented in practice.

Why Low Body Weight Increases Injury Risk

The UPI report cites a 2024 longitudinal study from the British Journal of Sports Medicine, which found that female athletes who cut more than 10 % of their body weight in a single training cycle were 3.5 times more likely to suffer a stress fracture or ligament tear than those who maintained a stable weight. The paper also highlighted that low bone mineral density—a common consequence of chronic under‑nutrition—was a significant predictor of injury.

The article underscores how the IOC’s “Athlete Health First” initiative inadvertently places pressure on athletes to “talk” about weight issues but offers no standardized medical protocols. “In the absence of clear guidelines,” the UPI piece writes, “athletes often resort to extreme dieting or disordered eating to meet perceived body‑image standards.”

IOC’s Response and Planned Reforms

In response to the criticism, the IOC issued a statement in early November 2025. The statement acknowledges that “the policy has not yet achieved the intended balance between encouraging open dialogue and safeguarding athlete health.” It also outlines a multi‑pronged approach:

1. Medical Screening – Mandatory baseline assessments of body mass index (BMI), bone density, and menstrual function for all female athletes before they compete.
2. Education Campaigns – Development of a digital platform that provides evidence‑based nutrition and mental‑health resources, with specific modules for weight‑class sports.
3. Collaboration with Sport Federations – Working with the International Federation of Gymnastics (FIG), World Athletics, and other bodies to harmonize body‑mass standards and injury‑prevention protocols.
4. Data‑Driven Monitoring – A new IOC Data Hub that will track injury rates, BMI trends, and mental‑health outcomes, allowing for real‑time policy adjustments.

The UPI article links to the IOC’s official policy documents and a recent press release, highlighting that these measures are part of a larger “Athlete‑First” framework introduced by IOC President Thomas Bach.

Expert Perspectives

The piece also quotes several key voices in sports medicine:

• Dr. Maria González, a sports nutritionist at the University of California, Los Angeles, who says the IOC’s current policy is “a step in the right direction but still lacks the rigorous medical protocols needed to protect athletes.”
• Coach Aisha Khaled, former head coach of the Egyptian Olympic swimming team, argues that the focus on body image should be complemented by a broader performance‑based framework that values skill, technique, and psychological resilience over physical appearance.
• Dr. Jonathan Lee, an orthopedic surgeon at the Royal National Orthopedic Hospital, warns that “repeated low‑weight cycles can lead to chronic joint degeneration, a risk that is difficult to reverse once an athlete has suffered a serious injury.”

Global Implications

The UPI article concludes by situating the IOC’s policy shift within a broader international movement. It references a 2025 consensus statement from the International Olympic Committee Medical Commission (IOC‑MC), which called for the integration of mental‑health specialists into all national Olympic committees. Moreover, the piece notes that similar debates have arisen in other sports governing bodies: the FIFA Women’s Football policy on body weight, World Rugby’s “Healthy Body” guidelines, and the NCAA’s updated wellness policy for collegiate athletes.

Takeaway

While the IOC’s 2025 “Athlete Health First” initiative aims to reduce body shaming and promote healthier conversations, the UPI article warns that the lack of comprehensive medical protocols risks exacerbating injury rates among female athletes. The intertwined links to WHO guidelines, national federations’ policies, and academic research reveal a complex, evolving dialogue: one where athletes, coaches, and governing bodies must reconcile the cultural pressures of appearance with evidence‑based injury prevention. The success of the IOC’s approach will hinge on whether its new measures translate into measurable improvements in athlete health outcomes—an outcome that remains to be seen as the 2026 Olympic cycle approaches.