GETTY Winter Olympics 2018: Shani Davis is upset by the decision to have a coin toss on who carries flag

Double gold medallist speed skater Shani Davis has slammed Team USA for acting “dishonestly” after tossing a coin to decide who would be their flag bearer.



It comes after luge slider Erin Hamlin was selected ahead of him for the role at Friday's opening ceremony. WHEN IS THE WINTER OLYMPICS 2018 OPENING CEREMONY? Davis, competing in his fifth Games, took to Twitter to post: “I am an American and when I won the 1000m in 2010 I became the first American to 2-peat in that event. @TeamUSA dishonorably tossed a coin to decide its 2018 flag bearer. No problem. I can wait until 2022. #BlackHistoryMonth2018 #PyeongChang2018.”



Davis did not take part in the opening ceremony.



The 35-year-old was the first black athlete to win a Winter Olympic gold in 2006 after taking the 1000m long track title.

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He retained that four years later before winning 1500m silver in both Turin and Vancouver.



A US Speedskating spokesman claims Davis was to planning to march in the parade of nations. However, it’s said he would have made an exception if he had been chosen as flag-bearer.



A statement read: “Shani won't march in the parade. It was never part of his plans. He is fully focused on his first race and is concentrating on that.”



Hamlin and Davis were among eight nominees for the flag bearer role.



A vote was held on who should bear the flag after they both received four votes each after a team ballot on Wednesday.

GETTY Two-time Winter Olympic gold medalist Shani Davis is livid with Team USA

It had already been agreed a tie would be broken by a coin toss.



Spokesman Mark Jones said: “The Team USA flag bearer is selected using a detailed selection procedure that is fully driven by athletes.



"As is always the case, there were many worthy candidates for this year's honour and we look forward to having four-time Olympian Erin Hamlin lead our delegation into the opening ceremony."



Speaking before Davis’ frustrated tweet, Hamlin said: “My family are really pumped. We've grown up watching the Olympics and we're always like, 'Who's going to be carrying the flag?' To actually be that person is insane."