Weighty problem topples Brit

British weightlifter Kamran Panjavi had to be carried off the stage on a stretcher after his Olympics ended in bizarre and painful fashion here at the Nikaia hall.

Iranian-born Panjavi, who was Britain's sole man in the weightlifting, appeared to pull a muscle in his back when failing to make his first lift and collapsed while attempting his second attempt as Team GB's ignominious start to these Games continued apace.

The 29-year-old from Greenford was this afternoon back at the Olympic Village receiving medical treatment for the injury after a calamitous performance which began from the moment he walked on stage and was asked to remove a T-shirt on stage just before his lift and then ran into time trouble.

Panjavi, competing in the 62kg class, had apparently failed to realise he was wearing his shirt, which was not allowed on stage, and by the time he had gone through his pre-lift rigmarole, he glanced at the clock to realise he had just a few seconds to take his attempt. Clearly rushing, he then pulled a muscle as he failed dismally.

At the second time of asking, he was in even worse trouble, unable to hoist the bar off the ground before he collapsedin agony to the stage. An official had to hold his neck while he was being removed on the stretcher.

For Panjavi, it was a worrying echo of last year's woes when he was forced to take 10 months off with back trouble and feared he might not even make the Games. Here, he has also had trouble with his right knee, which has had to be heavily strapped during training.