The Neurodiverse Sport Speaker Programme brings together lived experience, professional expertise, and authentic storytelling to inspire change across the sporting sector. Featuring our directors, collaborators, and guest speakers—including elite athletes, coaches, practitioners, and advocates—the programme offers keynotes, panels, and workshops tailored to your needs. With demand for neuroinclusive practice higher than ever, our speakers deliver practical strategies, challenge misconceptions, and share powerful personal journeys that highlight the strengths and realities of neurodivergent individuals in sport.

We’re honoured to have joined BBC 5 Live’s “All About” podcast for an hour-long conversation on neurodiversity in elite sport. From Olympic rower Caragh McMurtry’s lived experience to Lucy Bronze’s powerful self-discovery, this episode spotlighted the strengths, challenges, and growing visibility of neurodivergent athletes. Here’s why this national moment matters—and how it fuels our mission at Neurodiverse Sport.

Neurodiverse Sport and the RFU have teamed up to launch a new suite of coaching resources, helping rugby coaches better support neurodivergent players. These practical tools are rooted in lived experience and designed to make every team environment more inclusive—from grassroots to elite.

What if neurodivergent traits aren’t malfunctions—but adaptations? In this thought-provoking piece, psychiatry researcher Dr Adam D. Hunt draws from evolutionary biology, anthropology, and sport to reframe ADHD, autism, and dyslexia as ancient variations of human design. When seen through this lens, these traits—often pathologised—become powerful assets in the right environments. From classrooms to training halls, Adam invites us to stop fixing people and start redesigning systems.

Daley Jones is a MET Detective with ADHD and Dyspraxia, and the founder of the National ADHD Alliance for Police. In this honest and often humorous interview, Daley reflects on his late diagnosis, difficulties with coordination, and how football and running became outlets for self-belief. He shares what it’s like to navigate sport—and life—as a neurodivergent adult, and why self-compassion and support systems matter.

“If you create a safe space for people to share their different experience of the world you can be an enabler. You can help people step out of their comfort zone and achieve things beyond their limits.”

What happens when a child who’s been excluded, misunderstood, and on the verge of giving up finds a sport—and a coach—that truly sees them? In this powerful blog, Alex Hannah shares the story of his son Ieuan, a young neurodivergent judoka whose journey through Judo has brought growth, joy, and a sense of belonging. It’s a testament to what’s possible when clubs choose inclusion—and when parents and coaches work as a team.

Ishmael Burdeau is an Autistic ultrarunner and certified coach whose early experiences with exclusion and misunderstanding in school sport mirror those of many neurodivergent athletes. In this deeply personal first instalment of a two-part series, Ishmael reflects on how endurance sport became a refuge—and ultimately a revelation. His story is a powerful reminder that success doesn’t always look like early talent or conformity, but can emerge through self-awareness, autonomy, and finding the right fit.

Peter Barnes never received a formal diagnosis—but his reflections on ADHD and neurodivergence offer powerful insight into how self-understanding, adaptability, and resilience can reshape both life and sport. From exclusion in school PE to carving out a lifelong passion for cycling, Peter’s story challenges rigid sporting systems and calls for more human-centred, flexible approaches to coaching and inclusion.

Bright studio lights, honest storytelling, and a line-up of elite athletes turned Neurodiverse Sport’s first live panel into a master-class on neuroinclusion. From Sam Smith’s sensory challenges on-air, to Brooke Hendrix’s ADHD openness in a football changing room, to Greg Halford’s autistic hindsight, the evening moved from overwhelm to collective action—reminding us that coaching curiosity and safer environments are the real performance enhancers.

In this moving reflection, former international cricketer Olivia Rae shares her experience of attending the first in-person Neurodiverse Sport event during Neurodiversity Celebration Week 2024. Through personal stories of survival mode, miscommunication, and finally, recognition, Olivia shows how neuroinclusive environments can create powerful moments of connection and change. This is a story of ripples becoming waves—and how small acts of understanding can leave a lasting impact.

In this honest and empowering reflection, Sarah Javaid—founder of Cycle Sisters—shares how discovering her Autism at age 40 helped reframe a lifetime of struggle. Cycling, once a simple mode of transport, has become her space for healing, joy, and autonomy. Sarah’s story is one of self-understanding, community leadership, and the power of inclusive movement. Her words challenge stereotypes and inspire a broader vision of what it means to thrive.

In this moving reflection, former international cricketer Olivia Rae shares how her late Autism and ADHD diagnosis reshaped not just how she saw herself—but how she lived. Told with honesty and grace, Olivia’s story challenges traditional ideas of success in sport and life. From burnout to balance, survival to sustainability, this is a journey about reclaiming identity, redefining what works, and finally, living unapologetically.

Elliott Shaw is a 20-year-old British racing driver competing at the top level of karting—and he’s proudly Autistic and ADHD. In this refreshingly direct interview, Elliott shares how his neurodivergence fuels his attention to detail, resilience, and drive to win. He also reflects on bullying, sensory challenges, and why finding the right team makes all the difference. For Elliott, racing isn’t just a sport—it’s a way to channel his energy, build self-worth, and stay balanced. A powerful story of difference as strength.

James Lovatt’s story is one of misunderstanding, vulnerability, and shame—until he began to understand himself through the lens of neurodivergence. Now a competitive rider and passionate advocate for neurodiversity, James reflects on the toll of masking, the dangers of unsafe systems in sport, and the healing power of self-awareness and support.

Michelle Lau is a world-ranked amateur golfer, software developer, and proud Autistic woman. Her journey into elite disability golf began after seeing the work of Neurodiverse Sport—proof that visibility and representation can change lives. In this powerful blog, Michelle opens up about delayed diagnosis, sensory overwhelm, masking, and what it took—physically and emotionally—to finish her first world-ranked tournament. Her story reminds us that success and struggle often walk hand in hand.

Ed Baxter is a former British record-holding swimmer and co-founder of the AP Race Club with Adam Peaty. Diagnosed with Autism at a young age, Ed speaks openly about how his neurodivergence shaped his elite swimming career and entrepreneurial journey. In this in-depth interview, Ed shares his coaching philosophy, challenges in sport, and why pushing limits—not lowering expectations—is key to success for all athletes.

What does real inclusion look like in sport? In this follow-up to Maria’s Story, we explore the launch of the Virtus ii3 category—a game-changing step for Autistic athletes without intellectual impairment. This blog breaks down what ii3 is, why it matters, and what lessons we can learn from Maria Kjer Rasmussen’s journey through exclusion, representation, and resilience.