Roger Federer turns down Swiss flag for London Olympics opening ceremony

The world's strongest tennis player Roger Federer has refused to carry the banner of Switzerland at the opening of the Olympic Games in London. Another tennis player - Stanislas Wawrinka - will act as the Swiss standard-bearer instead Federer.

The NOC made the decision after the world's number one tennis player Roger Federer refused to carry the flag of his country for the third time, L'Equipe said. Federer carried the Swiss flag during the last two Olympics in Athens and Beijing.

"I was asked to become the standard-bearer, but I can pass the right to someone else," said the athlete earlier this month. It is worth mentioning that Federer is the last tennis player to have won all four Grand Slam singles titles.

Russia's tennis player Maria Sharapova will carry the flag of the Russian national team at the opening of the Games 2012 in London, on July 27. In total, the Russian national team at the Olympics will have 436 athletes. The team includes 208 men and 228 women. The group of track-and-field athletes is the largest one (104). The team also includes swimmers (32), canoe and kayak rowers (17), fencers and bullet shooters (15). Russia will not be represented in football, lawn hockey and cycling.