Roger Federer hands flag duties to Stanislas Wawrinka

Stanislas Wawrinka will be Switzerland's flag bearer at the opening ceremony of the Olympics on Friday after Roger Federer rejected an offer to carry the flag for a third time.

Federer was given the opportunity for the previous two Games but he has revealed that he wanted a teammate to experience the honour.

The world number one said: "Carrying the flag for me was something I never expected. It was a huge honour in my life to be able to represent Switzerland like that.

"I've done it twice and it would have been amazing to do it a third time but I just felt it was important to give someone else a chance. In Switzerland we believe that.

"I told the Swiss Olympic Committee that they should choose someone else and they chose my partner, Stan Wawrinka. It's a great, great honour for him. I couldn't have won the gold without him, everybody knows that. I think they chose the right guy."

Wawrinka will face Andy Murray in the opening round at the Olympics.