IOC Responds After Dutch Reporter Was Dragged Away During Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony

This is the moment a Dutch reporter was dragged away during a live broadcast at the Beijing Winter Olympics:

Sjoerd den Daas was covering the opening of the games when he was grabbed and moved away - to the shock of his colleague who was speaking to him from the studio.

The Dutch anchor in the studio asked Sjoerd what can be expected in the coming hours but before he could begin speaking a Chinese official is telling him to 'move forward'.

Speaking in Mandarin, Mr den Daas says: "Please wait for a while, I'm doing a live now," he then goes on to tell the camera: "We're getting dragged away here at the moment, as you see. We were also sent away from another spot just before, so I fear I'll have to get back to you later on."

Now the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has responded to the incident and said it was an 'isolated event' that will not impact media coverage.

In a statement, IOC spokesperson Mark Adams said: "Obviously, we have been in touch with the NOS, the state broadcaster, and it was an unfortunate circumstance.

"I think someone was being overzealous. He (the reporter) was able to, very quickly afterwards with the help of officials there, do his piece to camera.

"These things do happen and I think it's a one-off. I hope it's a one-off and we will assure you that within the closed loop you will be able to carry on your work."

Despite the statement, NOS said there has been no contact with the IOC and, in their own statement, said: "Neither NOS management, nor the chief editors of News and Sport, our Olympic team leadership in Beijing, or our correspondent himself has spoken to anyone from the IOC about yesterday's incident."

In recent weeks, we, like several foreign colleagues, have been hindered or stopped several times by the police while reporting on subjects related to the Games.

— Sjoerd den Daas (@sjoerddendaas) February 5, 2022

However in a series of tweets, Mr den Daas wanted to clear up some facts about what happened, saying: "Shortly before 7 o’clock, we began filming around the Bird's Nest. The police kindly directed us outside the area that was being cordoned off around that time. We followed their orders.

"We then spent some time setting up to film a TV live at the place the police had just referred us to. However, just after we had gone live, I was forcefully pulled out of the picture without any warning by a plainclothes man wearing a red badge that read, 'Public Safety Volunteer'. He did not identify himself.

"At the same time, another man took our light installation. When asked, they couldn't say what we had done wrong. We were able to continue our TV live from a parking lot around the corner.

"In recent weeks, we, like several foreign colleagues, have been hindered or stopped several times by the police while reporting on subjects related to the Games.

"Therefore, it’s hard to see last night's incident as an isolated incident, as the IOC claims, although such interference rarely happens live on broadcast. And now back to work."