The growth of the Sport for Development and Peace (SDP) movement has provoked considerable scholarly interrogation of the claimed social benefits of sport. However, little is known of public attitudes to the topic. This article reports research carried out in Northern Ireland regarding sport as a means of bringing divided communities together. Respondents viewed sport as effective in breaking down barriers, yet the demographic reach in terms of the participants in sports-based projects was shown to be limited. Qualitative research revealed diverse experiences of the impact of sport. The conclusion highlights the significance of a public attitudes perspective on SDP—it can reveal (a) the degree of public receptivity to SDP, (b) the participating constituencies, and (c) sociopolitical barriers to SDP and wider sporting inclusivity.

体育促进发展与和平（SDP）运动的发展引起了学术界对所谓运动的社会利益的质疑。但是，公众对此话题的态度知之甚少。本文报道了在北爱尔兰进行的有关体育运动的研究，体育运动是将分裂的社区聚集在一起的一种手段。受访者认为体育运动可以有效打破障碍，但是基于体育项目的参与者的人口影响力有限。定性研究揭示了运动影响的多种体验。结论强调了公众态度对SDP的重要性-它可以揭示（a）公众对SDP的接受程度，（b）参与选区，以及（c）SDP的社会政治障碍和广泛的体育包容性。