Tokyo Olympics to see male/female flag bearers

In an effort to promote gender equality, the IOC has given nations the option of appointing a man and a woman to be flag bearers together at the Olympic opening ceremony.

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Although there has always just been one flag bearer per country, this new rule allows for both genders to be represented equally. Countries will be encouraged, but not required, to follow this protocol. It has also been announced that each participating nation must include at least one male and one female athlete in its team. For example, Saudi Arabia had never sent any female athletes to the Olympics until 2012.

It remains to be seen what Greece will do in Tokyo regarding flag bearer selection. As the Greek Olympic team traditionally enters the stadium first, Greece could become the first country to ever have two flag bearers in the parade of nations. At the 2016 Olympics, sailor Sofia Bekatorou became the first woman to ever lead the parade of nations at the Summer Olympics, though several Greek women had previously been flag bearers at the Winter Olympics.

Shooter Anna Korakaki, gymnast Eleftherios Petrounias, and pole vaulter Katerina Stefanidi are amongst the front-runners to carry the Greek flag at the opening ceremony in Tokyo, as all three athletes won gold medals at the 2016 Olympics. Earlier this year, Korakaki became the first female to ever kick off the Olympic torch relay. Other contenders include basketball’s Giannis Antetokounmpo and tennis’ Stefanos Tsitsipas, as both are arguably Greece’s two biggest sports stars nowadays. However, Greece typically selects athletes with previous Olympic achievements, and neither Antetokounmpo nor Tsitsipas has ever even been to the Olympics before.

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