When Olympic speed skater Shani Davis tied with luger Erin Hamlin for who would carry the flag in the Winter Olympics opening ceremony, a coin toss determined the winner
The flag bearer is typically chosen in a vote by the eight US winter sport federations, each representing the individual sports: biathlon, bobsled and skeleton, curling, figure skating, hockey, luge, ski and snowboarding, and speed skating.
But this year, Hamlin and Davis tied 4-4.
Enter the coin toss, Davis said.
Hamlin was chosen, according to the US Olympic Committee .
And Davis was definitely not happy about it, venting in a tweet that the coin toss was « dishonorably » done.
« I am an American and when I won the 1000m in 2010 I became the first American to 2-peat in that event, » Davis tweeted. « @TeamUSA dishonorably tossed a coin to decide its 2018 flag bearer. No problem. I can wait until 2022. #BlackHistoryMonth2018 #PyeongChang2018. »
CNN has reached out to the US Olympic Committee for comment.
For her part, Hamlin said she was excited about being to able to carry the flag.
« Working hard and earning success is one thing, being acknowledged as a great representative and member of Team USA by fellow athletes — many who I have been inspired by — is above and beyond anything I’ve experienced, » Hamlin said in a statement.
« It is definitely a privilege and honor to be the one to lead the team and will be a very special moment. I can’t wait to share it with them all! »
