China mulls female flag bearer for future Olympics

China will give "full consideration" to having its first ever female flag bearer at Olympic Games in the future, said Xiao Tian, deputy head of the Chinese Olympic delegation on Thursday.

Xiao was responding to a question about whether female athletes have a shot at the honor, after he announced Yi Jianlian, a male basketball player, will carry the flag for China at the opening ceremony of London Olympic Games on Friday night.

The role of a flag bearer has remained a privilege of the men's basketball team since the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 1984. Xiao attributes the unwritten rule to the players' size.

"A flag bearer is supposed to be tall. Yi, as a young player, is good at his game and shows a decent demeanor on the court. He plays in the NBA. And there are lots of basketball fans in China."

Chinese female athletes always outshine their male peers on the international stage. According to statistics, they have a larger share in China's medals from past Olympics, a fact that is noticed by Xiao.

He went on to explain the criteria that he expects from a female flag bearer candidate in the future.

"She must have a big influence and a good appearance," he said. "We are aware that many countries have used female flag bearers. And we will seriously consider it, too."