Making compromises without a hurting stalemate, the change of the emblem of the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games

AbstractThe study unveils a unique case in the Paralympic Games through investigating the negotiation between the International Paralympic Committee and the Beijing Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games for the change of the emblem of the 2022 Paralympic Winter Games two years after its official release. Qualitative data is collected through interviews with senior personnel and archival documents and is analysed through employing the Advocacy Coalition Framework to highlight the change in the belief system of the two parties and the interaction between the policy subsystem and the broader political and social economic system. The findings reveal the shift in the belief system of respective Coalitions and the change in the power dynamics. The paper concludes with a discussion concerning the ACF’s four pathways of policy change and a response to one of the questions that is raised in the ACF literature for further researches.Keywords: BOCOGiPCadvocacy coalition frameworknegotiationpolicy change Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.Additional informationFundingThis work was supported by Beijing Municipal Social Science Foundation.