Knowledge Nuggets

With more women participating in sport globally, traditionally male dominated sports like football and cricket are being redefined as more young girls step up to play. This study uncovers their challenges with gender stereotypes that Australian girls face and highlights the crucial role of mentors and social support in breaking barriers and reshaping social norms.

The rise of online hate speech in sports, including racism, sexism, and homophobia, has created a deeply toxic environment for fans, players, and officials. While social media amplifies this abuse, efforts to combat it have struggled to keep up. This pressing issue must be tackled in order to promote a more inclusive sporting culture.

Although progress has been made, a major gender pay gap still exists in elite and semi-pro sports, with male athletes earning significantly more than their female counterparts. With public sports funding being a key driver of this gap, more attention must be paid to the inequalities in funding.

Young athletes’ connection to their sport shapes their identity, mental health, and resilience. Athletic identity peaks in adolescence, offering protection against burnout but may also increase risks like depression after injury.

Sport tourism events can greatly impact host communities, but sustainability doesn’t happen by chance, it requires careful planning. Explore these 8 key strategies to ensure events leave positive legacies while minimizing challenges.

Can sports really help mitigate crime? This study shows that sports programs significantly reduce aggression and antisocial behaviour while boosting self-esteem and mental wellbeing, highlighting their potential as an effective tool for crime prevention.

A recent study exploring the relationship between concussion and poor mental health found that youth with pre-existing mental health challenges were more likely to experience more emotional symptoms, like sadness, and a longer recovery time. Being aware of this increased risk and addressing mental health challenges early on in the recovery is crucial for supporting...

A study on elite junior ice hockey players found sleepers, overlooked athletes who later excel, had superior planning skills and unique eye movements. These traits helped scouts predict late drafted players’ success, emphasizing the value of psychological profiles in identifying hidden talent.

Elite athletes face unique mental health challenges, including a higher risk of problem gambling and gaming disorder, particularly among males. Tackling these behavioural addictions is crucial to safeguarding their wellbeing.

Traits like optimism, pessimism, and mindfulness impact athletes’ performance and well-being. While no age, gender, sport type, or education differences were found in these traits in a recently published study, optimism was linked to higher levels of mindfulness.