Schröder: being chosen as Olympic flag bearer would be a statement

Basketball World Cup winner Dennis Schröder has said it would be a big statement for diversity if he was chosen as German flag bearer for next week's opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics.

Schröder captained Germany to a first-ever world title last year but also cited his African roots.

"It would mean everything to me. To be able to represent Germany in that way with my background, my mum from Gambia, would be huge. It would be a statement to carry the flag as a dark-skinned person," Schröder said.

"Of course I know where I come from and where my mum comes from. I think that would definitely be a very cool thing to do."

Schröder is among three men and three women from which German athletes and fans can vote which man and which woman will carry the flag at the July 26 ceremony in the French capital.

The others are tennis player Alexander Zverev, shooter Christian Reitz, footballer Alexandra Popp, dressage rider Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and judo player Anna-Maria Wagner.

The vote is open until Sunday and the flag bearers are to be announced on the eve of the opening ceremony.

Schröder's team plays its preliminary round matches in Lille, but the whole team plans to be at the opening ceremony.

The full women's football team will however not make it because they are in the southern French city of Marseille and play their first match there the day before the ceremony.

But team captain and 2016 gold medallist Popp hopes to make it, if she is elected flag bearer.

She said on Instagram she is "proud and honoured" to be part of the shortlist and asked followers and fans to participate in the vote.

German team coach Horst Hrubesch has backed Popp to be chosen, saying that she "has played at a high level for years and stands for women's football. There's no need to discuss the fact that she is a highly merited. We will support her with everything we have."