Five-time Olympian Natalie Cook says she will protest if a woman is not chosen to be Australia's flag bearer at the London Games opening ceremony.
Cook, 37, will make history in London as the first Australian woman to compete at five summer Games, and is among those being considered for the honour.
But whether she's chosen by Australia's chef de mission Nick Green at a team reception on Thursday or not, she's certain about one thing: it must be a woman this time.
"It's a no brainer for me. If there's a male that carries the flag I will sit in protest," she joked on Saturday.
"It has to be a woman and it's up to Nick Green. No pressure on Nick but from my point of view it has to be a woman.
"Go the chicks!"
Cook, who won bronze in Atlanta in 1996 and gold at the Sydney 2000 Games with then partner Kerri Pottharst, would love nothing more than to to be named flag bearer and lead the Australian team out into Olympic Stadium on Friday at her last Games.
So much so she's even admitted to practising her flag waving.
"I hope I'm a chance... I've been practising the flag carrying just in case and I've been dreaming about it and the wave to the royal box.
"I'd love the honour of leading the team out, that would be one of the highlights of my career.
"But for me as long as it's a female. I've walked behind four men: Andrew Hoy, Andrew Gaze, Colin Beashel and James Tomkins."
Cook and Beijing Games partner Tamsin Hinchley will take on America's double gold medallist duo of Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh in their first match.
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