The swimmer was forced to leave the Olympic Village by Chef de Mission Simon Clegg at the 2000 Sydney Games for wearing a swim suit that was not officially approved by the British Olympic Association (BOA).

 

The 38-year-old, who will compete in the 50 metres freestyle at what will be his fifth Games, was chosen from a poll among the 313-members of the British team.

 

The Billericay-born Bath-based swimmer is the oldest member of Britain's team in Beijing.

 

Foster was picked ahead of cyclists Chris Hoy and Bradley Wiggins, both Olympic champions, despite never having won a medal at the Games.

 

Another leading candidate, two-time gold medal winning sailor Ben Ainslie, ruled himself out because his competition is due to start the day after the opening ceremony.

 

Foster, who made his Olympic debut at Seoul in 1988, said: "I was blown away when I was told, it was a big surprise and a huge honour.

 

"It's fantastic."

 

He will be the first swimmer to carry the British flag at the opening ceremony since since Anita Lonsborough at the Tokyo Games in 1964, four years after she had won a gold medal at the Rome Olympics.

 

Foster said: "Some of the most wonderful names in British sport have been Olympic flag-bearers.

 

"I really wanted to be picked but I didn't totally believe I would be.

 

"My heart was pumping when the announcement was made.

 

"Making the Olympic Games this time around was fantastic in itself, but this has really topped it off. It's phenomenal."

 

The announcement was made by Clegg, in the presence of HRH The Princess Royal and Gerry Sutcliffe, the Sports Minister.

 

Eight years ago Clegg had stripped Foster of his Games accreditation for wearing a Speedo-branded bodysuit instead of the BOA-approved bodysuit in the final of the 50m freestyle, in which he finished seventh.

 

Foster had to move out of the Olympic Village and sleep on a friend's couch in Sydney before returning to the UK.

 

At the time Foster said: "I expected to be carpeted, but the BOA put me out on the street like a dog.

 

"It was humiliating and I can't help but feel this is a sledgehammer to crack a nut."

 

Clegg hit back at the time by saying: "He [Foster] put me in an impossible situation because he signed a contract and he broke it knowingly."

 

As well as Seoul and Sydney, Foster competed at Barcelona in 1992 and Atlanta in 1996.

 

He reached the 50m freestyle in Barcelona.

 

Foster missed the Athens Olympics four years ago following a row with British Swimming's then-performance director Bill Sweetenham that led to retiring before announcing a comeback a year later.

During his illustrious career he has set five world records, seven European records, nine Commonwealth records and 19 British records.

Each of Team GB’s team leaders had the option to nominate a candidate for flag-bearer, in consultation with their athletes.

 

Team leaders then voted on the shortlist of nominees in consultation with their athletes.

 

Past British Olympic flag-bearers
2004 Kate Howey
2000 Sir Matthew Pinsent
1996 Sir Steve Redgrave
1992 Sir Steve Redgrave
1988 Ian Taylor
1984 Lucinda Green
1980 Richard Palmer
1976 Rodney Pattison
1972 David Broome
1968 Lynn Davies
1964 Anita Lonsbrough
1960 Richard McTaggert
1956 George MacKenzie
1952 Harold Whitlock
1948 Emrys Lloyd
1936 Jack Beresford
1932 Lord Burghley
1928 Malcolm Nokes
1924 Philip Noel-Baker
1908 John Studd