Neurodiversity in Sports
Multicolored flower that looks like a rainbow on a black background. The flower is the lower right corner of the image.
Neurodiversity in sports is a topic that probably doesn’t get talked about as much as we need. Scroll through any of your social media accounts or emails and see what you notice. Did you notice much around the topic of neurodiversity, sports, and athletes? Did you know that there is increasing evidence that suggests autism and ADHD may occur at higher rates in athletes than in the non-athlete population (Hoare et al., 2023; Hoare et al., 2025). Given that information, why are we not talking about this topic and taking more action?!
What is Neurodiversity?
Neurodiversity is the idea that neurological differences are natural variations of the human brain, not deficits that require a cure. This is a strength-based perspective that highlights the unique and amazing abilities such as heightened creativity, pattern recognition, and the ability to harness hyper-focusing, while also remembering the power of advocacy for inclusion rather than conformity to “normal” standards. Neurodivergence is frequently used to talk about attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, and other neurodevelopmental differences (Hoare et al., 2025). Two of the important pieces to take away from this are that we are talking about a strength-based perspective and the idea of advocacy for inclusion.
Neurodivergence in Athletes
When diving into this topic it is important to look at both how neurodivergent athletes can thrive in sports, leveraging their unique strengths, and some of the challenges that the athletes may face so that we can take action to ensure a more inclusive environment for everyone.
Strengths
Neurodiversity can indeed be a strength when it comes to playing sports. Think about the requirements when it comes to elite sports. To play at an elite level, athletes must be committed to routine, have exclusive focus, and exhibit consistent and rapid responses to ever evolving stimuli in the competitive environment, whether it be players, course changes, etc. (Hoare et al., 2025). Being an elite level athlete requires a lot in the physical, psychological, and emotional realms for athletes. For some neurodiverse athletes, they may be able to leverage their excellent skills in attention to detail, pattern recognition, and ability to intensely focus (Narducci, 2025). For athletes on the autism spectrum the ability to hyperfocus is often a strength and can be adapted to the context of sports training (Hoare et al., 2025).
Challenges
While there are many strengths for neurodiverse athletes, as we just discussed, there are some challenges that we must also bring into the discussion. Neurodiverse athletes continue to face stigma and, because of vague definitions, scant research, inadequate screening processes, and limited access to specialized services via athletic programs, create challenges for athletes as well as for the sports and exercise medicine professionals (Narducci, 2025). As we look at more specific challenges, let's use a qualitative study that studied people’s experiences of training and competing in elite sports to frame the conversation. Woods et al. (2025) did semi-structured interviews (interviews that have some planned questions and the option for the interviewee to add their own thoughts) with athletes who identified as having a clinical diagnosis of ADHD or self-identified as having traits of ADHD or Autism and found three themes: lack of belonging, overwhelmed and overloaded, and a need for plans. Pause for a moment on each of the different themes. Lack of Belonging. Overwhelmed and Overloaded. A Need for Plans.
Lack of Belonging
Neurodivergent athletes continue to face stigma around the misconceptions that neurodivergence is a “disorder” rather than a different way of functioning, which leads to high rates of anxiety, burnout, and pressure to mask behaviors in order to fit into neurotypical sports cultures (Narducci, 2025). Furthermore, athletes may find it difficult to interpret social cues, which can result in misunderstandings or communication breakdowns with other players, personnel, etc. (Narducci, 2025). What are the consequences of this dynamic? Feelings of isolation or unintentional exclusion and even potentially the pressure to conform to neurotypical athletes' behaviors leading to masking are the potential consequences (Narducci, 2025). So, what is one thing we can all do?
Overwhelmed and Overloaded
To help from a coaching perspective, it is important for coaches to use direct, concise, and chronological instructions, and to reduce any unnecessary language. Additionally, think about the environment in which an athlete is playing and, if possible, reduce sensory overload by limiting extraneous noises or bright lights. Overall, it is important to create a safe, structured environment where neurodivergent athletes feel safe and comfortable so they can perform at their best.
Having a Plan
Having a plan is important! Ensuring that we understand neurodiversity in elite sport is essential because the learning and developmental processes that athletes go through to acquire and refine skills must be accounted for when it comes to competing successfully (Hoare et al., 2023). Thus when planning, remember to have a plan that has structure, clear communication, sensory management, and flexibility. Specifically consider using visual aids, offering the opportunity to make choices to build autonomy, developing realizable short-term goals, and providing quiet areas. Additionally, remember to personalize one’s approach to center strengths.
While this post barely scratches the surface of this topic, there is one final piece to share. Athletes like Simone Biles (ADHD), Michael Phelps (ADHD), Noah Lyles (asthma/ADHD), and Sam Holness (autism) all show how neurodivergence can coexist with, or even drive, athletic success. It’s time we change the conversation and ensure that sports are equitable for everyone.
take action today moment:
One place to start is to educate yourself on the topic of neurodiversity and sports and take the time to learn and explore, if you don’t know much about the topic. Another suggestion is to also consider the role of language and how it impacts people. While this role of language is important in many spheres, we will talk about it here. Language is not neutral and plays a role in building perception, memory, assumptions, communication, and even influences how we all understand the world around us (McGinty-Minister, 2026). Be mindful of how you talk about neurodiversity, people, and sports. The words we opt to use have power, and it will take all of us to make change. Use your words to build people up and to help make environments more inclusive for all athletes.
Learn More About Neurodiversity and Sports:
How neurodiversity can be a strength in sport
A World of Difference: Embracing Neurodiversity | Difference Maker Sam Holness | S5E7 [YouTube]
Neurodiversity and Sports [PBS video]
References
Hoare, E., Olive, L. S., McGinty-Minister, K. L., McMurtry, C., Walton, C. C., Hall, K., ... & Berk, M. (2025). Neurodiversity and the mental health and well-being of elite athletes. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 59(16), 1116-1117. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2024-109325
Hoare, E., Reyes, J., Olive, L., Willmott, C., Steer, E., Berk, M., & Hall, K. (2023). Neurodiversity in elite sport: A systematic scoping review. BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine, 9(2). doi: 10.1136/bmjsem-2023-001575
Narducci, D. M. (2025). Unlocking potential: How sport and exercise medicine clinicians can identify and empower neurodiverse athletes. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 59(12), 823-825. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2024-109026
McGinty-Minister, K. L. (2026). Not just semantics: How language influences inclusion and scientific validity in sport science. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 60(3). https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2025-110684
Wood, S., Marshall, B., Kaiseler, M., & Wood, G. (2025). Navigating neurodiversity in elite sport: Lived experiences of neurodivergent athletes. Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health, 18(2), 123–137. https://doi.org/10.1080/2159676X.2025.2534896