The Women’s Health, Sports & Performance Institute launched Thursday with over $50 million in funding to address the significant lag in medical research for female athletes.
The funding was led by Viking Global Investors co-founder David Ott and Jane Ott, along with New York Liberty co-owner Clara Wu Tsai. The Otts co-founded WHSP with Dr. Kathryn Ackerman, a former US rower.
WHSP will use the capital to accelerate its research, education, training, and medical care for female athletes.
“The medical research always defaulted to male physiology, that was the standard,” Dr. Ackerman said. “Men were making the decisions and men were studying men because the system seemed to be built for them.”
WHSP will study athletes across a broader spectrum of sports, with initial work underway with Olympic rowers, rugby players, adolescent soccer players, dancers, and runners. The institute plans to conduct research across a range of demographics, including adolescents, professional athletes, and post-menopausal women.
While efforts to boost funding for women’s athletic health research are increasing, Dr. Ackerman noted that the pace remains slow.
The launch follows a similar major commitment in 2024, when Michele Kang, owner of the Washington Spirit, announced a $50 million global investment to improve the health of elite female athletes, with a specific focus on women’s soccer.
The institute acknowledges that comprehensive research and data will take time to materialize, as some studies can span up to seven years.
Ultimately, Ackerman predicts that more comprehensive studies on women’s physiology will lead to enhanced performances and new records in female sports.
“We want our athletes to go compete with each other, but we should not be competing for health resources and information,” Ackerman said.
