This comes following criticism from the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of China (FCCC), which alleged that "Government interference occurred regularly during the Games" while reporters faced restrictions when attempting to conduct interviews and were subject to online harassment.

The IOC told insidethegames that it "continuously discussed Games-related issues with the organisers as part of the preparation process and also during the Games".

It launched a reporting tool in 2016 which allows media representatives to lodge a complaint where they encounter a violation of press freedom in relation to the Olympic Games, while issues can also be raised through its press office, which it claimed dealt with about 60 media requests a day".

"If issues were flagged to us, we always followed up with the Organising Committee," the IOC insisted.

"There were no complaints in the remit of the Games filed via the reporting tool during Beijing 2022."

Addressing the example of a foreign reporter prevented from interviewing a skier from Hong Kong in the mixed zone, the IOC reiterated that this was "an isolated case", and that it "addressed this specific issue with the Organising Committee to ensure it would not happen again".

The FCCC also raised the high-profile case in which Dutch broadcaster NOS' correspondent Sjoerd den Daas was forced away from a live show by a security official.

The IOC said that "even though he was not accredited to the Games", it contacted NOS, and that the incident "was an unfortunate circumstance".

It added that NOS provided a translated statement following discussions between its editor-in-chief Marcel Gelauff and IOC corporate communications and public affairs director Christian Klaue, in which it concluded that both parties agreed that the treatment of den Daas was an "unpleasant incident" but that "the case is closed".

The FCCC's statement cited examples of reporters facing difficulties interviewing local residents, and claimed many were "told that all reporting in public areas must first be approved by Chinese authorities".

The IOC said that the closed-loop management system in which journalists were only permitted to move between permitted destinations using dedicated transport was necessary due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"As the world still faces a battle against the coronavirus, this system was needed to provide a safe and secure Games for everyone, ensuring that all COVID-19 countermeasures were strictly followed and there was no physical contact with anyone outside of the closed loop," it said.

It added that accredited media personnel "had full access to the Games venues".

China has pursued one of the world's toughest policies to combat the pandemic through its so-called "zero-COVID" approach, and the IOC insisted it had no input on how these were implemented during Beijing 2022.

"At the same time, the IOC has neither the mandate nor the capability to change the laws or the political system of a sovereign country, which includes regulations governing the approval of journalist visas to international media outside the Olympic Games and the impact of wider COVID-19 countermeasures being applied in a country," it commented.

"This must rightfully remain the legitimate role of governments and respective intergovernmental organisations."

A total of 9,388 accredited media personnel covered the Winter Olympics, including 1,952 from written and photographic press.

The IOC said it had followed a process which ensured "a fair allocation with no political or geographical interference", and that "there was no issue with any application for the Games whatsoever".

Reporters Without Borders ranked China 177th out of 180 in its 2021 World Press Freedom Index, and says there are at least 115 journalists detained in the country.

In November last year, the FCCC raised concerns over the behaviour of organisers and alleged that foreign journalists faced difficulties attending "any press conferences or even observe routine events".

The IOC said it was in touch with the group, "took up the concerns to address with the Beijing 2022 Organising Committee" and held a video call "to follow up and provide clarifications".

"In our response and on the call, we explained that we are responsible for ensuring the respect of the Olympic Charter with regard to the Olympic Games and take this responsibility very seriously," it insisted.

"In this framework, the IOC places great importance on the work of the global media and its coverage of the Olympic Games."

It concluded: "Even during our call before the Games, we were pleased to hear from the FCCC representatives that they could see progress after we addressed some of the concerns raised by them.

"We promised to continue addressing any issues raised that are within our remit, which we believe we did during the Games, and maintain the channels of communication open between the two organisations."

The Winter Olympics drew to a close on Sunday (February 20), and the Winter Paralympics are set to follow from March 4 to 13.