"There is an increased focus on digital activation," an International Olympic Committee (IOC) spokesperson said today.

"This is a trend we are seeing anyway, but it has been accelerated by the pandemic restrictions."

Thomas Bach is to meet Alibaba chief executive Daniel Zhang today to "focus on Alibaba’s technologies", but even this will not take place in-person.

The IOC has confirmed that there are seven live sites across Beijing and in the main competition zones at Yanqing and Zhangjiakou. 

There will be "activations from domestic sponsors and Worldwide Olympic Partners".

Admission is free for members of the Chinese public and other activities are promoted on the sites. 

At the Opening Ceremony, spectators were shepherded in and out along dedicated pathways in order to comply with COVID-19 preventative measures and there was little opportunity for sponsor activity.

In the Main Press Centre, Samsung and Swatch have pavilions but most of the displays feature domestic sponsors.

At the entrance to each pavilion there is warning on social distancing and some were subject to restricted opening times.

In the build-up to the these Games, there had been calls for international sponsors to pull out for Beijing 2022.

In Berlin, the offices of Allianz were picketed before the Games.

Coca-Cola, which signed a deal with Chinese food giant Megniu, has not been promoting Beijing 2022 bottles in its headquarters city Atlanta according to the local Atlanta Constitution and Journal newspaper.

This is in marked contrast to Beijing 2008 when Coca-Cola had a very large presence at home and in Beijing, where there was a large sponsor park on the Olympic Green adjacent to the Beijing National Stadium. 

There were long queues for the Coca-Cola Pavilion, where special events featured Olympic champions including Michael Phelps - who won an unprecedented eight gold medals at Beijing 2008.