Russia's gold medal favorite in weightlifting Khadzhimurat Akkaev has withdrawn from the Olympics with a back injury, the national federation told R-Sport on Saturday.
Akkaev, the world and European champion, was to expected to take the top prize in Monday's 105kg category competition.
"We had hoped until the end that there was still a chance and that he could perform at the Olympics," said Russian weighting federation head Sergei Syrtsov.
"But now we can say that unfortunately, and there's no way back, he will take no part at the Olympics," he added. "For us this is a huge blow, yet another gold medal has escaped us."
Akkaev, 27, had a back operation August 2, Syrtsov said.
He won silver in Athens and bronze in Beijing in the 94kg division before stepping up to 105kg, where Akkaev won gold at the world championships in Paris in November.
