Meanwhile it was revealed that the weight was removed from his shoulders at the time of the incident by two “spotters” on either side of the lifter. He was rushed to surgery, where surgeons described the trauma as an “explosive and aggravated prolapse of the bowel”. Paramedics arrived and applied anaesthesia on the spot and carried him to an ambulance. He remained in this position for about half an hour, since trying to stand caused him overwhelming agonizing pain. The unfortunate competitor, who expressed a plea to remain anonymous, remembered to surgeons that he was “stuck” at the bottom of a personal best attempt in the squat lift when he “sort of pulled his stomach in and pushed extra hard, at the same time as trying to complete the lift.” He remembers a loud popping, splattering noise then a fierce stabbing pain and then not being able to move from the squat position. This rather shocking photo was snapped in November 16th by a spectator at the collegiate power lifting championships at Pennsylvania State.
This email from the dawn of the millennium made its way to our inbox in 2003: