Health & Performance
in Defence Symposium

The RAF Athletics Association, in collaboration with the Royal British Legion and the RAF Central Fund, is hosting the Health & Performance in Defence event in 2026. Open to all RAF personnel, it will bring together athletes, coaches, and health professionals to explore key issues affecting performance, wellbeing, and longevity in sport and service life.

Building on the success of previous years, the programme provides a forum for sharing insight, experiences, and practical advice on maintaining physical and mental health in high-performance environments. It is particularly relevant to those involved in RAF and Inter-Service sport but is open to all personnel with an interest in health, performance, and resilience.

Throughout the day, attendees will hear from elite athletes, expert practitioners, and defence specialists, who will discuss topics ranging from athlete wellbeing and recovery to the challenges of maintaining performance across different stages of life and service. This will include focused discussions on Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S), menopause, and eating disorders, highlighting their impact on performance, health, and long-term resilience.

The programme also includes an interactive session led by the Royal British Legion’s Battle Back Centre team, highlighting the role of rehabilitation, adaptive sport, and recovery in supporting members of the Armed Forces community.

What to Expect

• Expert talks, with the full speaker line-up announced soon.
• Insight into health, resilience and performance in demanding environments.
• Discussion of issues affecting athletes and coaches, including wellbeing and long-term performance.
• An interactive Battle Back Centre session.
• Opportunities to network with RAF personnel involved in sport and performance.

Last Years Event

RAF personnel from multiple sports came together in 2025 to explore some of the most pressing challenges facing Defence athletes. Insightful contributions from two Loughborough University sports psychologists and Dr O’Leary from the Army Health and Performance Research Laboratories captivated the audience, presenting powerful evidence-based research on athlete health. GB athlete Jake Smith shared his personal journey battling RED-S, while Olympian Sonia Samuel spoke candidly about balancing life as a full-time mum and elite athlete. Sgt Laura Hughes also delivered an important discussion on female health.

Feedback from last year reflected the impact of the event, with one attendee noting that it was “a brilliant initiative and a great opportunity to discuss RED-S”, adding that the sessions from the Loughborough psychologists were particularly engaging and that the Sandhurst doctor’s talk was “extremely interesting”.

Another exciting line-up is planned for this year—don’t miss it!
Full event details will be sent after registration.

Register Here