The 29-year-old 1995 World champion, who had led into the final round, said her career was over. ``She's had enough. That is the end now,'' said her husband Gianni Iapichino after May broke down in tears.

Earlier, the five man jury of appeal belonging to the sport's ruling body, the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF), rejected the protest lodged by furious Italian team officials. ``They looked at the video evidence and decided that the protest should be rejected,'' an IAAF spokesperson said.

May, who moved to Italy in 1994 after being offered a derisory -- 500 by the British to fund her training, had been leading with a jump of 6.94muntil Montalvo cleared 7.06m. But television replays appeared to show the Spaniard's jumping foot clearly over the line.

May ended with the silver and American sprinter Marion Jones took the bronze.As the Cuban-born Montalvo, who married a Spanish hotelier after meeting him in Cuba, celebrated her stunning upset win, May and Italian officials went into a huddle to decide what action to take.

After the protest was lodged, a tearful May, who is nicknamed the Black Panther, said the Spaniard had not won.

``I don't want to be unsporting but I saw the jump and it was a foul,'' said the Briton-turned-Italian.

``I can't go on like this,'' she said. ``I'll never forget the moment. It is very, very difficult for me.''

An angry Montalvo quickly hit back at the protest.

``The Italians can't stand losing. It's a little bit dirty. If I had been in May's place and won the silver I would not have done the same thing,'' said the Spaniard.

Her coach Raphael Blanco, who took her on when she arrived in Spain lastOctober, insisted the jump was a good one.

``She is the World champion. If the plastic marker is not marked that makes it a good jump,'' he said.

But Britain's Jo Wise, who came fifth, backed May.

``Most of us out there watching it thought it was a foul,'' she said.Americans protest: The Americans leapt into the legal fray by lodging a protest when 110m hurdler Mark Crear was disqualified in the quarter-finals for two false starts.

``It is a scandalous decision,'' said Crear. ``I didn't think I false-started on the first one. This was the second round and it was not like I was trying to run 12.70 or something. Somehow, I am going to have to pick up the broken pieces and salvage the rest of the season.''