Games tidbits

CEREMONY

Nearly 50% want woman to carry flag

Nearly 50 percent of respondents to a poll conducted by China Daily's website hope to see a woman carrying the Chinese flag during the next Olympics.

For the past 32 years, only male athletes have served as flagbearer for the national delegation.

According to the poll, 48.5 percent want a woman to carry the flag, while 30 percent said that gender makes no difference. At the past eight Olympics in which China has taken part, the national flag has been carried seven times by male basketball players and once by a male fencer.

Lei Sheng, the 32-year-old who won the foil individual title at the London Olympics in 2012, carried the national flag this year in Rio, breaking the country's tradition of naming basketball players as flag bearers at the Summer Games.

BOXING

Namibian held for alleged assault

Brazilian police have arrested a 22-year-old boxer who was the flagbearer for the Namibian national delegation on suspicion of attempting to sexually assault a room maid in the Olympic Village - the second boxer detained on such charges at the Games.

Jonas Junius, who is competing in the light welterweight division, allegedly grabbed the maid and tried to kiss her. He is also suspected of offering the victim money to sleep with him, police said in a statement. The maid reported the incident to the police.

Games organizers confirmed the incident but said it was in the hands of police.

Rio 2016 spokesman Mario Andrada said: "Brazilian law needs to be respected. What we need to ensure is that all the legal procedures are being followed and we are assured that they have been."

'Pretty boy' punches in for Britain

British boxer Josh Kelly, a model and self-declared "pretty boy," made a winning start in Rio on Monday after climbing out of his sick bed.

Kelly, who said he had been on antibiotics and had a viral infection before the bout, defeated Egypt's Walid Mohamed, also 22, in a scrappy welterweight clash.

"I just keep away from punches, but I didn't do it all that well," Kelly said after his unanimous points victory, sporting few visible signs of punishment.

"But my nose is not all that bad at the moment so we will see how we get on in the next couple of fights."

Kelly's victory was the only high point for Britain, with middleweight Anthony Fowler - cousin of former England soccer striker Robbie - light flyweight Galal Yafai and heavyweight Lawrence Okolie all falling to defeat on a black Monday for Britain's Olympic boxing hopes.