Webinar: “The Forgotten Athlete: Sports Psychiatry Beyond Elite Performance”

20 August 2026

The Pan African UK Clinical Educational Series (PAUCES) hosted its fourth webinar titled, "The Forgotten Athlete: Sports Psychiatry Beyond Elite Performance – Lessons from the management of a recreational triathlete and implications for sports psychiatry in Africa.”

Co-facilitated by experts from the Sports and Exercise Special Interest Groups of the South African Society of Psychiatrists (SASOP) and the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych), Drs. Bonginkosi Mafuze, Tamsin Malengret, and Caz (Carolyn) Nahman discussed the relevance of sports psychiatry to non-elite athletes by exploring growing endurance participation in Africa, the relationship between exercise, lifestyle, mental health and performance, and the influence of appearance pressures and “more” culture on recreational, amateur, professional, and age-group athletes. These webinars offer participants the opportunity to explore diagnostic challenges, cultural contexts, and treatment approaches relevant to a range of mental health settings.

In an era of increasing global migration, the insights shared through PAUCES are highly relevant to clinical practice in both UK and African contexts, enhancing care for culturally diverse patient populations. This dynamic, recurring webinar series provides a collaborative platform for reflection and learning among mental health professionals across continents. It was established through the joint efforts of diverse organisations across Africa and the United Kingdom (UK). It is open to psychiatrists, residents, medical students, and allied health professionals involved in patient care, regardless of geographical location.

Collaborating Organisations
Advancing cross-continental learning through shared expertise