The Games began with Dinigeer Yilamujiang and Zhao Jiawen lighting the cauldron at the Bird’s Nest Stadium on February 4.

The selection of the former, a Uyghur athlete, was viewed by many as China issuing a direct response to the nations who opted to diplomatically boycott the Games. 

Alleged human rights violations by the host nation on the Uyghur population in Xinjiang had been cited as a key reason to skip the event.

Hours before the flame is extinguished at the same venue, China has indicated it may allow the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to visit Xinjiang. 

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi has said he will support the visit, but is against a "presumption of guilt" type of investigation.

The human rights allegations dominated the build-up to the Games and have been a simmering undercurrent throughout, with the IOC attempting to avoid being drawn into criticising its hosts and Beijing 2022 largely sticking to the script of the organisation.

The façade collapsed on Thursday (February 17), when Beijing 2022 spokesperson Yan Jiarong seized the opportunity of the final joint IOC press conference to outline what China truly thinks of the controversial issues that have dogged the Games.

"I think these questions are based on lies," Yan said in response to a question mentioning forced labour in Xinjiang, having earlier repeated a "solemn position" that there was one China in the world when the subject of Taiwan was raised.

Bach had insisted prior to Beijing 2022 that organisation must remain politically neutral, while suggesting the Games could serve as a "symbol of peace and unity".

A Chinese official sitting in front of the Olympic Rings making clear and divisive political statements, as a symbol, probably is about as bad as it gets for the IOC.

The burden has been placed on athletes to ensure these Games can rise above such concerns, yet political comment has not been far away from those on the field of play.

Bach had spoken during the Opening Ceremony about how the Games could show how athletes as "fierce rivals" could live peacefully and respectfully together.

It came as no surprise that he pointed to an embrace between ROC athlete Ilya Burov and Ukraine’s Alexander Abramenko after the pair celebrating winning medals together in the men’s aerials event.

Prior to the Games, Ukrainian Sports Minister Vadym Huttsait was accused of "blackmail" and "coercion" by Honorary IOC member Vitaly Smirnov, who is Russian. 

It followed Huttsait reportedly telling Ukrainian athletes not to pose for pictures with Russians at the Winter Olympics, given the heightened political tensions around the Games.

The IOC deserves some credit for letting the demonstration of Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych slide during the Games, albeit it was one of the easiest decisions to make.

Heraskevych held up a sign calling for "No War in Ukraine" following the latest geopolitical tensions with Russia. 

The IOC rightly said this was a "general call for peace" and considered the matter closed.

The organisation has repeatedly used the Olympic Truce declaration, signed by 193 member nations, as a defence against criticism of these Games. 

The build-up of tension on the Ukrainian border had led to the questioning of whether the Truce declaration is even worth the paper it is written on.

Even the face of the Games, Eileen Gu, has found herself in the challenging position of appeasing both US and Chinese audiences throughout Beijing 2022.

Gu was always likely to be one of the faces of the Beijing 2022. 

Her American upbringing and Chinese background made her of interest to markets in both global superpowers. 

This is before you even consider she is a teenager and a star of her sport.

It was not a surprise, then, when Yiannis Exarchos, Olympic Broadcasting Services chief executive, described Gu as the "story of the Games" earlier this week. 

Her gold-medal success in big air and halfpipe events, as well as slopestyle silver, confirmed her status as the major star from Beijing 2022. 

Again, ideal from the IOC perspective as a graduate from the Youth Olympics.

Some have been as impressed by the way Gu has sought to temper the debate over her citizenship, as her performances on the field of play. 

Her suggestion that she can be both American and Chinese is an understandable, youthful take on the situation, embracing both rather than pigeonholing herself.

Yet, the decision of the Californian-raised skier to represent China has been criticised by some in the US as a betrayal and Gu has faced calls to speak out on rights issues. 

Equally, having been hailed as a star for much of the Games in China, there has been a suggestion her ties with the US has tempered the host's affections as the event has progressed.

The real story of the Games though has centred on ROC figure skater Kamila Valieva, starting with her performance in the team event that had many suggesting this 15-year-old could in fact save this Games. 

Since insidethegames revealed after the team event that Valieva was the centre of a doping controversy, the story has overshadowed the Games.

The failings of individuals and organisations to protect the teenager have been stark, both in ensuring she had never been in a position to have failed a test in the first place, then the response that could have prevented her collapse in free programme event.

Bach came out punching at his final press conference of the Games, smartly pointing fingers at Valieva's entourage, suggesting changes to World Anti-Doping Agency rules and potential start of a conversation around age limits.

The IOC President had been absent until then as the scandal had unfolded, allowing him to weigh in when the leaves had already fallen and a path could be plotted through with the least damage to the IOC. 

His pointed comments in his opening monologue successfully drew attention away from other challenging political issues, with only a single question on human rights and Taiwan, and none on Peng Shaui.

As clever as it may have been politically, the questions also reflect the gravity and stain many feel the Valieva case has had on the Olympic brand.

Just as Bach has been accused of refusing to confront issues in China, the latest doping case involving Russia has reignited voices that the German has been too placating and willing to forgive the nation for the state-sponsored doping scandal.

Largely, western critics have suggested stronger punishment on Russia could have led to a systematic change that could have prevented this case rather than having weathered the storm - as Bach said to WADA at the pre-Games IOC Session.

The Valieva story has arguably been good news for organisers, as it prevented several weeks of intensive focus on political issues. 

China will quickly move on from hosting what it considers safe and splendid Games, which have been largely well-run and held successfully from a sporting perspective.

The IOC will hope its upcoming Games in Paris, Milan Cortina, Los Angeles and Brisbane can offer respite from the criticism it has faced around Beijing 2022. 

Yet, it feels like the organisation may be damaged for a while by one of its most political and controversial Olympic Games to date.