Australian Football League continues to lead in supporting neurodiversity
The Australian Football League and the Australian Football League Player’s Association continues to lead in embracing and supporting neurodivergence of the men and women’s players. This was exemplified in the recent dedicated neurodiversity panel session during the 2025 Wellbeing and Player Development Gathering.
Women Deliver 2026, Victorian Stakeholder Engagement Forum
In April 2026, the Women Deliver Conference will be regionally hosted for the first time — by the Oceanic Pacific — in Narrm (Melbourne), Australia, on the unceded lands of the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation. As part of her role as Our Equal State Reference Group member, Office for Women, Erin attended and engaged in the Women Deliver 2026, Victorian Stakeholder Engagement Forum alongside 200 local leaders and advocates across the state.
Neurodiversity and the mental health and wellbeing of elite athletes
New research lead authored by Erin, alongside a host of esteemed colleagues, discussed the need to address gaps in research to date surrounding neurodiversity among athletes, given the central role of mental health and wellbeing to athletic performance. Published in British Journal of Sports Medicine, Hoare and colleagues discussed neuroinclusion in elite sport is lagging, considering the progress observed in education and health.
NeuroFooty Project launched
Having been successfully awarded funding through the Movember Sports Health Initiative, Manna Strategic Lead Associate Professor Erin Hoare and a host of local mental health, sporting and inclusion organisations will draw on these strengths to launch the pioneering NeuroFooty Project, aimed at building neuroinclusion in community senior men’s football in the Geelong region of Victoria. It is part of a broader program of work that will also seek to establish neuroinclusion in local women’s sport, and address both community and high- performance settings.
Recognising autistic women athletes for Neurodiversity Celebration Week
In recognition of Neurodiversity Celebration Week this 17 - 23 March, Erin sat down with award-winning journalist and member of the ABC Sport team Kate O’Halloran to discuss the elite edge offered by autism and ADHD for athletes.
Neurodivergence as a superstrength for athletes highlighted internationally
The benefits and challenges offered by autism and ADHD for elite athletes was highlighted this week in Washington Post, authored by Talia Barrington. Erin was featured, alongside colleague and co-author, Neurodiverse Sports founder and former British Olympic rower Caragh McMurtry.