LONDON: Britainâs Team GB is set to have male and female flagbearers at the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics for the first time in the countryâs history at the Games.
This move would leave a âreal hallmark legacy messageâ, chef de mission Mark England said.
National teams can appoint a man and a woman as their flagbearers at the Games this year after the International Olympic Committee changed its protocols last year to send a message of gender parity.
Previous to this, countries taking part in the Olympics had to choose either a man or a woman to carry the national flag while walking ahead of its contingent as they entered the stadium during the opening and closing ceremonies.
Britain has had 26 flagbearers at the Summer Olympics since 1906, but only three of them have been women.
Swimmer Anita Lonsbrough became Britainâs first female flagbearer in Tokyo 1964, followed by equestrian rider Lucinda Green at the Los Angeles Games in 1984 and judoka Kate Howey in Athens 2004.
With the Olympics returning to Tokyo, England said there was a desire to celebrate Lonsbroughâs feat.
âFor the first time national Olympic Committees are being encouraged to have two flagbearers,â England was quoted as saying by British media. âI will have to see how many are in the Village by that time.
âThe flagbearer is interesting because we want to celebrate the return of British athletes to Tokyo after 1964.
âThat team had some real hallmark legacy messages. That was a moment for women and Iâm hopeful that the class of Tokyo 2020 will be able to leave a similar mark.â
The Games, which were pushed back by a year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, are set to run from July 23-Aug. 8. â Reuters
