Sport for social cohesion: Exploring management and impacts

Despite recent advances in sport-for-development (SFD) literature, few scholars have investigated social cohesion outcomes in SFD contexts. This research addresses this knowledge gap by examining the management and impacts of a SFD initiative targeting cohesion outcomes among multicultural youth. Over two-years, I employed an ethnographic approach, collecting data via observations, reflexive journaling, organisational documents, and interviews. Results indicated that while cohesion was enhanced at the group level, sociocultural assumptions limited outcomes beyond this. This research highlights how the interpretation of cohesion influences outcomes, and in doing so, extends knowledge of the management of SFD in the pursuit of social cohesion.