Paris, Jul 6: Guard Tony Parker can play for European runner-up France in the Olympic Games after San Antonio Spurs medics agreed he has fully recovered from an eye injury.
Parker suffered a scratch to his cornea in a nightclub fight in New York last month.
“The two ophthalmologists (from the Spurs) confirmed the opinion of the French doctor who operated on Tony Parker, and the two Swiss specialists who also examined the player last Thursday, and indicated that he can resume playing,” the French Basketball Federation said on Friday, adding Spurs coach Gregg Popovich also gave his accord.
Parker is joining up with the French squad in Orleans and he could briefly feature in a warmup match against England on Saturday.
France's first game at the Olympics is against the United States on July 29.
“It is great news and a relief for the whole France team,” coach Vincent Collet said. “I spoke with Tony on the phone and he sounded very happy—and also relieved—about this development. It was a difficult and alarming situation for everyone.”
Parker was included on the team's 12-man Olympic roster as he waited to see whether his injury would fully heal in time.
He suffered the injury when shards of flying glass caught his left eye following a nightclub fight involving singer Chris Brown and members of hip-hop star Drake's entourage.
Parker scored 26 points for France when it lost last year's European final 98-85 to Spain.
France will be missing Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah, who is still recovering from a left ankle injury he sustained during the NBA playoffs.
