The countdown to the Tokyo Olympics is on, but with just weeks to go before the Australian team starts preparations to head to Japan, one of our most successful athletes is threatening to boycott the games altogether.

Basketball player Liz Cambage took to social media on Friday to accuse the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) of “whitewashing” a series of promotional photos showcasing the Aussie team uniform for the Tokyo Games.

Cambage shared two photos to her Instagram stories, the first showing an image posted by underwear brand Jockey Australia, which designed the team’s official underwear.

“If I’ve said it once I’ve said it a million times. HOW AM I MEANT TO REPRESENT A COUNTRY THAT DOESNT EVEN REPRESENT ME #whitewashedaustralia,” she wrote.

She then posted an official photo taken to reveal the Australian Olympic team’s new uniforms, writing: “also fake tan doesn’t equal diversity.”

Indigenous rugby player Maurice Longbottom is the only non-caucasian athlete in the photo.

“Y’all really do anything to remove POCs [people of colour] from the forefront when it’s black athletes leading the pack,” she wrote in an ensuing post.

“Until i see y’all doing more @ausolympicteam imma sit this one out.”

Cambage also shared a video of Cathy Freeman’s history-making 400 metre gold-medal run at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, writing: “Also just to remind you Australia’s GREATEST sporting moment was thank too BLACK INDIGENOUS WOMAN.”

Her comments quickly attracted attention online and the AOC swiftly posted a response on its website, saying the athletes made available for the Jockey photoshoot “should have better reflected the rich diversity of athletes who represent Australia at the Olympic Games”.

The organisation went on to defend its diversity policy and its history of inclusion.

“The AOC does however have a very proud history of celebrating and promoting diversity in all its forms,” it said. “From Indigenous reconciliation, people of colour, gender equality and all forms of diversity, the AOC is rightly proud of its record.

“Tomorrow the Annual General Meeting will consider a change to the AOC Constitution which will ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island representation on our Athletes’ Commission. Next month we will launch our Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan following lengthy consultation with our Indigenous Advisory Committee.

“Our Olympic Team for Tokyo, as it did in Rio, will consist of more women than men.”

Cambage, who currently plays for the Las Vegas Aces basketball team in the US, is of Nigerian and Australian decent. She is one of our most successful female basketball players and was part of the Australian Opals basketball team that won a bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics.