France’s Tony Parker could miss Olympics due to wife’s pregnancy

AP photo

PARIS — San Antonio Spurs point guard Tony Parker could miss the Olympics because of the expected birth of his second son.

Parker told French radio station RMC that his wife is due at the end of July, shortly after France’s Olympic qualifying tournament from July 4-10 in Manila where a ticket to the Rio Olympics is at stake.

The Olympic basketball tournament in Rio de Janeiro will be held from Aug. 6-21.

Parker says he has yet to decide whether his wife’s pregnancy will force him to cancel his commitments with the national team.

Parker says “this is big news. I will need to talk with the France team. And negotiate with my wife, too. The schedule is very, very difficult.”

French federation president Jean-Pierre Siutat and technical director Patrick Beesley both say they were unaware of Parker’s situation.
France was drawn in the same group as Canada, Turkey, Senegal, New Zealand and host Philippines in the qualifiers.