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Barack Obama receives 12 stitches after being 'elbowed'
President Barack Obama received 12 stitches in his lip on Friday after being hit in the face with an elbow while playing basketball, the White House said, stating that the injury was an accident.
Barack Obama walks to his car with Secret Service Agents after a game of basketball with friends and aides Photo: AFP/GETTY
By Barney Henderson 8:06PM GMT 26 Nov 2010
The injury was caused by Rey Decerega, director of programmes for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, the White House said.
"After being inadvertently hit with an opposing player's elbow in the lip while playing basketball with friends and family, the president received 12 stitches today administered by the White House Medical Unit," said spokesman Robert Gibbs in a statement.
The president played basketball for about two hours at a gym at Fort McNair in Washington on Friday morning. It was a five-on-five contest involving family and friends. Among the players were Mr Obama's nephew, Avery Robinson, Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Reggie Love, Mr Obama's personal assistant, who played basketball for Duke University.
The White House said the injury happened during the fifth and final game when Mr Decerega turned to take a shot and hit Obama, who was playing defense, in the mouth with his elbow. Mr Obama was given local anaesthetic when he received the treatment, Mr Gibbs said. Medical authorities used "a smaller filament which increases the number of stitches but makes a tighter stitch," resulting in "a smaller scar".
A keen sports fan, Mr Obama played a charity basketball game for US troops with NBA stars LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and hall-of-fame stars Bill Russell and Earvin "Magic" Johnson in August. He is also a keen golfer. He is not the first president to be in the wars. George W Bush choked on a pretzel and fainted while watching an American football game on television in January 2002.
