Despite evidence of its effectiveness in the area of conflict studies, intergroup contact theory (ICT) has rarely been applied to specifically designed sport-for-development (SFD) interventions. As such, the purpose of this study is to demonstrate the suitability and applicability of ICT as a framework analyzing SFD interventions that aim to foster integrative social transformation. In this paper, we first situate ICT within the broader sport and SFD contexts before demonstrating the utility of ICT through a reflective analysis of League Bilong Laif (LBL), an education-focused SFD intervention in Papua New Guinea. Our examination of LBL demonstrates that ICT may well be a useful framework to design and deliver SFD interventions, particularly in the context of existing intergroup tensions. To maximize opportunities for positive social impact, we propose the aspect of ‘cultural relevance and excitement potential’ as an additional critical condition for achieving meaningful intergroup development.

尽管有证据表明其在冲突研究领域是有效的，但群体间联系理论（ICT）很少用于专门设计的体育促进发展（SFD）干预措施。因此，本研究的目的是证明ICT作为分析SFD干预措施的框架的适用性和适用性，这些措施旨在促进一体化社会转型。在本文中，我们首先将ICT置于更广泛的体育和SFD背景下，然后通过对巴布亚新几内亚以教育为重点的SFD干预Bilong Laif联盟（LBL）进行反思性分析，证明ICT的效用。我们对LBL的检查表明，ICT可能是设计和提供SFD干预措施的有用框架，尤其是在现有群体间紧张局势下。为了最大限度地发挥积极的社会影响的机会，