The International Olympic Committee has made the case for its coronavirus measures at the Beijing Winter Games.

The organizing committee says 142 athletes and team officials had tested positive for the virus by Sunday.

They include gold medal hopefuls for ski jumping and the Nordic combined.

The IOC's executive director for the Games, Christophe Dubi, told reporters on Sunday that he feels sorry for athletes who are not able to compete, but the number one priority is the safety of all the participants.

Dubi said athletes who were in close contact with virus carriers can train and compete, adding that one of them won a gold medal on Saturday.

Asked about complaints from athletes about isolation conditions, Dubi said it's very unfortunate that they were affected and it should not happen.

He added that it's the IOC's responsibility to address the situation.

He said the organizers will make sure that everything including internet connections, food, the size of the rooms, and training equipment is perfect for athletes in isolation.

An official of the organizing committee stressed that the meals delivered to the isolation facility are the same as the food served at the Olympic Village.

As for anti-infection measures, Dubi said the Tokyo Olympics demonstrated that with good rules and countermeasures, they can deliver the Games.

He called the summer Olympics a good learning experience and confidence building, and said the organizers were able to create detailed rules for the Beijing Winter Games based on their experiences in Tokyo.