Richard Vaughan, pictured, crashed out of the men's badminton singles yesterday but was defiant in defeat.

The 26-year-old Welshman, from Llanbradach, lost both games to Korea's Mo Seung Shon, the first 15-9 and the second 15-4 .

Vaughan, has had the toughest luck since reaching the last 16 in Sydney four years ago. A hip injury nearly ended his career and after four years of pain he had finally battled back to full-fitness.

But the Welshman was hit by a virus just a week ago and as he admits it pretty much ended his chances of a medal.

"It is disappointing to lose," said Vaughan.

"I'm gutted that I couldn't play him when I was full fit. I'm not really in very good condition at all and I can't compete with guys like this when I'm not 100 per cent.

"I played yesterday and it was a struggle and today I just had no energy left and I was running on empty.

"It sums up the last few years of my career really. Preparation was going really well, the hip felt fine and then I was taken ill, you could call it bad timing but it always seems to happen to me.

"Normally I have more strength and that helps you get going when it is close, I've been playing well and the fitness was great, I could have beaten him because I've played him tree times and lost twice."

The Welshman started badly in both games and despite a fightback in the first he was always second best to the Korean.

Kostas Kenteris announced he had pulled out of the Olympics "in the national interest" after a brief appearance today before an IOC disciplinary commission investigating his missed drugs test.

Kenteris, his co-accused Katerina Thanou and their coach Christos Tzekos arrived at 9.30am. Kenteris emerged to reveal he was pulling out of the Games and would no longer work with Tzekos.

Thanou left without commenting.