French cyclist Arnaud Tournant took out his frustration on a journalist after losing out to Britain's Chris Hoy in a thrilling 1km time trial event.

The silver medallist refused to start his post-race news conference until the man from Le Monde had left the room.

Tournant would not explain what the man had done to deserve such treatment.

And Tournant insisted on the door being firmly shut before he started talking about what it felt like to break the Olympic record - and still come second.

Political gestures forbidden

British kayak star Campbell Walsh sported what looked suspiciously like a Scottish saltire on his helmet during his K1 heats on Thursday.

But by the time he lined up for Friday's final it looked more like a blue and white Union Flag. «Political gestures» are forbidden at the Olympics, as skier Alain Baxter found out when he dyed his hair to resemble a saltire during the Salt Lake City Winter Games.

And it appears his fellow Scot Walsh took note, sticking some white tape on his helmet in an apparent bid to avoid invoking the wrath of the IOC.