Uyghur skier, 20, who became the face of China's Winter Olympics and carried the Olympic torch 'disappears' after finishing 43rd in her Nordic combined debut

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An Uyghur athlete who became the face of China's Winter Games after lighting the Olympic flame at the Opening Ceremony has 'disappeared' from the spotlight.

Dinigeer Yilamujiang, 20, from the Altay Prefecture in Northern Xinjiang, finished 43rd in her cross-country skiathon Olympic debut on Saturday and has since vanished from the limelight.   

She quietly slipped away after the event alongside three other Chinese athletes through a 'mixed zone', which allows athletes to pass through without having to answer questions from the media. 

Ms Yilamujiang, who is the only athlete of Uyghur heritage, became the main focus of the Olympics following her controversial appearance at the Opening Ceremony - which rights groups have since criticised for 'giving a political message'. 

Following her prominent appearance on television, state media ran videos of Ms Yilamujiang's family cheering and clapping as they watched the ceremony onscreen - which many claimed was staged.

Chinese film director Zhang Yimou, the man behind the mind-blowing Beijing 2008 opening ceremony, which also took place in the Birds Nest stadium, masterminded the event - promising it would be 'a bold and unprecedented way to light the Olympic flame.'     

Dinigeer Yilamujiang (left), a Uyghur cross-country skier from the north west region of Xinjiang, was one of the Chinese athletes to light the flame and has since vanished from the spotlight. Pictured right: Zhao Jiawen, 21, who is a Chinese athlete also in the Nordic combine

Ms Yilamujiang  (pictured) finished 43rd in her cross-country skiathon Olympic debut on Saturday and has since vanished from the limelight of the Winter Games

Chinese film director Zhang Yimou, the man behind the mind-blowing Beijing 2008 opening ceremony, which also took place in the Birds Nest stadium, masterminded the event - promising it would be 'a bold and unprecedented way to light the Olympic flame.'

Beijing Olympics organisers declined to comment on Ms Yilamujiang's disappearance at a press conference on Saturday - but the IOC confirmed mixed-zone rules remain in place despite the pandemic, according to the WSJ.  

In an article published by the Communist Party-run Xinjiang Daily, Ms Yilamujiang said: 'China has done everything possible for me, and what is left for me to do now is to train hard and bring glory to the country.' 

During another video posted by the newspaper, Ms Yilamujiang's mother added: 'Thanks to the country for giving my daughter such an important mission.'

In response to claims that Ms Yilamujiang's inclusion was a political stance, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said she had 'every right' to participate.  

IOC spokesman Mark Adams said: 'Obviously the opening ceremony is something that the organising committee put together and there's creative input. We are involved to a certain extent.'

'This is an athlete who is competing here, she is competing this morning. She has every right, wherever she comes from, whatever her background, to compete... and to take part in any ceremony.'       

In an article published by the Communist Party-run Xinjiang Daily, Ms Yilamujiang (pictured left) said: 'China has done everything possible for me, and what is left for me to do now is to train hard and bring glory to the country.'

Ma Haiyun, an expert on Xinjiang and an associate professor at Frostburg State University in Maryland, said Ms Yilamujian's appearance was 'political'.

He said: 'By selecting a Uyghur athlete to light the torch, China is trying to address criticism by the West about genocide or persecution of the Uyghurs, and about sinicisation of ethnic minorities. 

'But I don’t think this can have much effect on the West, which tends to think most of what China puts up is a show anyway'.

The Communist Chinese regime chose an Uyghur athlete to light the Olympic torch alongside Zhao Jiawen, 21, who is a Chinese athlete also in the Nordic combine.  

There were just a handful of foreign dignitaries at the ceremony as most Western leaders boycotted over China's human rights record and persecutions of Uyghur Muslims in eastern Xinjiang province.  

Activists and U.N. rights experts say at least one million Muslims are being detained in camps in the remote western region of Xinjiang, with activists and some Western politicians accusing China of using torture, forced labour and sterilisations.  

China denies any human rights abuses in Xinjiang and says its camps provide vocational training and are needed to fight extremism. 

Another moment of tension came as Taiwan's athletes entered the stadium as 'Chinese Taipei'. Taiwan views itself as a self-governing nation, but Beijing views it as a breakaway province and has threatened to 'reunify' it by force. The team was set to boycott the games over their team name, but were told by organisers they had to attend.  

The world leaders were joined in the stands by just a handful of 'select' guests as the event takes place inside a Covid-secure bubble to comply with China's strict zero Covid policy. 

Meanwhile Xi Jinping received a standing ovation as he arrived to watch some 3,000 performers take part in the opening ceremony, which also featured goose-stepping People's Liberation Army soldiers hoisting the country's flag as the national anthem played. 

President Xi Jinping received a minute-long standing ovation as he arrived in Beijing's Bird's Nest stadium to watch the Opening Ceremony on Friday

Xi watched as Taiwan's athletes were forced to enter the stadium under the banner of 'Chinese Taipei'. Taiwan views itself as a separate country, while China views it as a province and is threatening to 'reunify' it by force. Taiwan was going to boycott the games over the name, but was forced by the IOC to attend

China takes part in the parade of athletes during the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic  Games

Tickets for the opening ceremony as well as other Games events were not sold publicly with only those specially invited able to attend due to fears of the spread of Covid, leading to concerns that an absence of euphoric crowds may impact the atmosphere inside stadiums. No international fans are allowed at the Games.

But also missing are government officials from Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, United States and India who are initiating a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics over China's human rights record, particularly over its treatment of the Uyghurs.

They are a predominantly Muslim ethnic minority group in the Xinjiang autonomous region of China, which the UN has claimed have been subject of severe human rights violations at the hands of the state.

China has denied the allegations and warned nations taking part in the boycott that they will 'pay a price' for their 'mistake.' But athletes from those countries will be participating in the Games.

High stakes international politics also featured behind the scenes of today's opening ceremony which was attended by guest of honour, Russia's President Vladimir Putin.

He met his Chinese counterpart President Xi Jinping ahead of the event taking place to discuss the international crisis unfolding in Ukraine, which according to reports from both countries, has 'brought them together.'

Putin is also using his visit to the Winter Games to meet the leaders of 20 other nations in what is being viewed as a diplomatic push to win them over as tensions in Ukraine continue to simmer.