DOHA, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) -- China is to break a long tradition by naming a badminton player, instead of a basketballer, to hold the national flag in the Asian Games opening ceremony on Friday.

    Bao Chunlai, 23, the men's shuttler who helped China win the Sudirman Cup mixed team championship in 2005 and the Thomas Cup men's team top honor in 2006, will lead China's parade in the opening ceremony, said Chinese delegation spokesman Zhang Haifeng Friday afternoon.

    Bao's appointment ended China's 24-year-long practice of namingmen's basketballers as flag-bearers.

    Since the 1982 Asian Games in New Delhi, India, the flag-carrying honor has fallen on tall and handsome basketball players.Wang Libin carried the flag in 1982 and 1986, and Song Ligang, LiuYudong, Gong Xiaobin and Li Nan had the honor from 1990 to 2002.

    Men's basketballer Zhang Dawei hoisted the flag in China's Asian Games debut in 1974 and men's volleyballer Zhou Zhongyu led the Chinese march in 1978.