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Vincent Collet (France's head coach) when asked about the Batum punch on Navarro: "Ask Rudy Fernandez about what he did to Tony Parker at the Eurobasket final last year." 20minutes.fr

Tony Parker, Rudy Fernandez, Spain, France, Olympics, Vincent Collet 

When Batum could've stopped the clock with a slap on the arm, he punched Spain's Juan Carlos Navarro in the groin. "I wanted to make sure he had good reason to flop," Batum said. Asked if he believed he had accomplished his goal, Batum told Yahoo! Sports with a smile, "I hope so." Yahoo! Sports

Spain, France, Nicolas Batum, Olympics, Juan Carlos Navarro 

If Batum's answers were completely honest, they're a public-relations nightmare. There are ways to deliver a hard foul without stooping to that kind of low-rent cheap shot. Later, Batum apologized on Twitter, but that was long after his first public words hit the Internet like a tsunami. "I'm angry because we wanted to bring back something to our country," Batum said. "We deserve it much more than them." Yahoo! Sports

Spain, France, Nicolas Batum, Olympics 

The highlight came after what has become the traditional groin punch. A Spanish reporter asked the French coach about the low blow, and the French coach wouldn’t answer because the question came from a Spanish reporter. San Antonio Express-News

Coaching, Spain, France, Olympics, Vincent Collet 

On the eve of the quarterfinals game, French coach Vincent Collet stopped to visit with Russia's coach David Blatt at the Lee Valley Training Center to probe him on some defensive ideas for Spain. For a few moments, they talked about the Spain-Brazil game, and the French coach made clear his belief that Spain had gone down for the count. Yahoo! Sports

Coaching, Spain, Russia, France, Olympics, David Blatt, Vincent Collet 

"Oh, they dived," Collet said, making a sinking motion with his hand. Yahoo! Sports

Coaching, Spain, France, Olympics, Vincent Collet 

Kevin Seraphin: Another life lesson. Honest people don't always win. Twitter

Kevin Seraphin, Spain, France, Olympics 

Parker chose to beat up himself. Knowing he’s missed his one Olympic chance to medal, he looked in shock afterward and said, “It’s on me.” San Antonio Express-News

Tony Parker, France, Olympics 

Jose Manuel Calderon: "It's been two tough days because of everything we read. This thing, Twitter, is very cool, but it's dangerous. It usually happens when things go wrong, even when we were doing things right all these years, but it's OK. To all those who want to jump back on the bandwagon now, it doesn't matter to us, we let them back in." Marca.com

Jose Manuel Calderon, Spain, France, Olympics 

Nicolas Batum: I want to apologize for my stupid act at the end, I showed a bad image of France and myself, Congrats to team Spain. Twitter

Spain, France, Nicolas Batum, Olympics 

Nicolas Batum: Still proud of my team and teamates, we gave the best from ourselves for our country. Now I cheers for the women bball team!#allezlesbleuEs Twitter

France, Nicolas Batum, Olympics 

Buck Harvey: From @Tony Parker: "It's on me. It was my responsibility." But what about playing 38 minutes until gassed at the end? It's on the coach, too. Twitter

Tony Parker, France, Olympics 

After France's Nicolas Batum delivered a vicious punch to the groin of Spain guard Juan Carlos Navarro, Batum left no confusion over his intentions. "I wanted to give him a good reason to flop," Batum said. Batum was angry with the Spanish guards for falling to the floor for what he believed was incidental contact throughout Spain's 66-59 quarterfinal victory over France at North Greenwich Arena. Asked by Yahoo! Sports if he believed his punch to the groin had given Navarro "good reason," Batum smiled and said, "I hope so." Yahoo! Sports

Spain, France, Nicolas Batum, Olympics, Juan Carlos Navarro 

Asked if watching the Spain-Brazil game that he was convinced that Spain had taken a dive in the fourth quarter, Batum told Y!, "They did what they had to do." Told some won't think that a deliberate punch to the groin is in the 'Olympic spirit,' Batum told Yahoo! Sports: "Do you think if you lost a game on purpose, that's the Olympic spirit?" Yahoo! Sports

Spain, France, Nicolas Batum, Olympics, Juan Carlos Navarro 

Portland Trail Blazers forward Nicolas Batum punched Juan Carlos Navarro in the crotch during a 2012 London Olympics quarterfinal game between France and Spain on Wednesday. Blazers Edge

Spain, France, Nicolas Batum, Olympics, Juan Carlos Navarro 

Adrian Wojnarowski: Told Batum some won't think groin shot is in Olympic spirit. Batum: "Do you think if you lost a game on purpose, that's the Olympic spirit?" Twitter

Spain, France, Nicolas Batum, Olympics, Juan Carlos Navarro 

Adrian Wojnarowski: I asked Nicolas Batum why he hit Juan-Carlos Navarro in the groin. "I wanted to give him a good reason to flop," Batum said. Twitter

Spain, France, Nicolas Batum, Olympics, Juan Carlos Navarro 

Emiliano Carchia: According to his agent, Jahmar Young has an NBA out in his contract with Orleans in case a team shows interest in bringing him to vet.camp Twitter

Free Agency, France, Jahmar Young 

Orleans announced the signing of Jahmar Young. The player spent last season with BK Ventspils averaging 15ppg with 2.5rpg and 2.3apg. Sportando

Free Agency, France, Jahmar Young 

Jeff Zillgitt: Official word from France basketball PR guy: France will not file a protest over result of Spain-Brazil game. Twitter

Spain, France, Brazil, Olympics