Storm All-Star Lauren Jackson was chosen Thursday as Australia's flag-bearer for the opening ceremony of the London Olympic Games on Friday.

Jackson, 31, was in disbelief, thinking there were others more worthy. A 6-foot-6 center, she's competing in her fourth Olympic Games, winning silver at the previous three. The Opals are 21-3 in Olympic play since she joined the squad in 2000. All of the losses were against the United States.

"To me, Lauren is an unassuming athlete with wonderful leadership qualities on and off the court," Australian chef de mission Nick Green, who made the selection, told reporters. "She has all the qualities I admire in a leader, and that is the person our team needs as a captain here in London."

When asked what her parents, both former members of Australia's national team, would think of her selection, Jackson told reporters they "would both fall off their feet." They are joining her in London, the Opals beginning pool play against Great Britain on Saturday.

"I asked him (Green) why straight away, and I kind of got a bit sweaty and a bit emotional ... and he just told me that he'd watched me over the previous three years and that he liked the way I went about myself in public," Jackson said. "Basketball has been my life, and I could never have imagined I'd be honored like this."

Jackson, a three-time WNBA MVP, is the second player from the WNBA to be the flag-bearer for her country. South Carolina women's basketball coach Dawn Staley received the honor for Team USA during the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.

The 2001 No. 1 overall pick, Jackson missed the first half of the Storm season in order to prepare for and participate in the Olympics. She's expected to return when the WNBA resumes play in August. The Storm (9-10) hosts Phoenix (4-15) on Aug. 16.

Senegal ties Britain

MANCHESTER, England — Moussa Konate scored late in the second half to lift Senegal to a 1-1 tie against Britain in Olympic men's soccer.

Playing in its first Olympic competition since 1960, Britain faded after Craig Bellamy scored in the first half. The Welshman pounced on Ryan Giggs' free kick into the box, driving a shot into the ground that bounced to the left of keeper Ousmane Mane.

Britain next plays United Arab Emirates, which earlier lost 2-1 against Uruguay, on Sunday at Wembley Stadium in London.

In other matches, gold-medal favorite Brazil scored three first-half goals, then held on for a 3-2 win over Egypt; Japan upset Spain 1-0; Honduras and Morocco tied 2-2; Gabon and Switzerland tied 1-1; Mexico and South Korea drew 0-0 and Belarus defeated New Zealand 1-0.

Player faces punishment

LONDON — Soccer star Gareth Bale faces a ban from world governing body FIFA for playing against the Los Angeles Galaxy after pulling out of the Olympic Games because of "injury."

Bale was selected to be part of Great Britain's Olympic squad but withdrew citing a back injury. However, two days before the first round of the Olympic men's tournament, he scored for his club team Tottenham Hotspur in its 1-1 draw with the Galaxy in Carson, Calif.

Bale appeared to suffer from no restricted movement and seemed to be at full fitness during the exhibition.

His absence from the Great Britain team is seen as a serious blow to the home side's chances of putting together a deep run at the Summer Games.

Victory lap for torch

LONDON — The Olympic flame took a festive, valedictory lap around London, taking in some of the sun-drenched capital's most famous landmarks and getting a royal welcome on the second-to-last day of its trek across Britain.

The torch thrilled thousands of Londoners as it swept through the city before stopping at Hyde Park. Prince William, wife Kate and brother Prince Harry posed for photographs as torchbearers took the flame to Buckingham Palace.

The torch completes its 70-day, 8,000-mile journey Friday, lighting the Olympic Stadium's cauldron in a ceremony marking the official start of the 2012 London Games.

Notes

• Michael Phelps insists there's no hard feelings about teammate Tyler Clary questioning his work ethic, though it will surely be used as motivation for the Olympics. The potential rift within the U.S. team was apparently patched up when Clary apologized to Phelps in person and expressed regrets to the entire U.S. team.

• The International Judo Federation said one of Saudi Arabia's first female athletes at the Olympics will not be allowed to wear a headscarf during competition.

• Discus thrower Zoltan Kovago of Hungary was banned for two years for doping, forcing him to miss the London Olympics. He was considered a medal contender.

• Swedish officials said swimmer Therese Alshammar could miss the Games because of a pinched nerve in her neck, which would leave the country without one of its biggest medal hopes.

• Ann Curtis, a swimmer who won two gold medals at the 1948 Olympics, the last time the event was held in London, has died at her San Rafael, Calif., home of complications of Alzheimer's disease. She was 86.

• Jack Davis, a champion hurdler who won two Olympic silver medals in the 1950s, has died in a San Diego hospital from complications of a fall. He was 81.

The Associated Press, The New York Times and Bloomberg News contributed to this report.