U.S. President Barack Obama had to get 12 stitches in his upper lip after getting a blow from an opponent's elbow during a basketball game on Friday, White House officials said.

US President Barack Obama walks back to his car after playing basketball at Fort McNair in Washington, Nov 26, 2010. [Chinanews.cn]

"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," press secretary Robert Gibbs said in a statement.

"They were done in the doctor's office located on the ground floor of the White House."

A second White House statement, a couple of hours later, said that Obama was injured when another player turned into the president, "who was playing defense, to take a shot when the elbow hit the president in the mouth."

That statement did not name the player responsible. But shortly after 5 pm, the identity of the elbower emerged: Rey Decerega, who is the director of programs for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute.

Decerega said in a statement that the game was all in good fun - and did not apologize.