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France coach Vincent Collet refused to condemn the actions of his players after tempers flared in their 66-59 quarter-final defeat by Spain.
Ronny Turiaf and Nicolas Batum made ugly challenges as France were outscored 15-6 in the final quarter.
When asked about the challenges, Collet replied: "Basketball is a physical game, we are not going to take any lessons from a Spanish journalist."
The two sides were involved in a bad-tempered EuroBasket final in 2011.
Players clashed at the game in Lithuania after Rudy Fernandez caught Tony Parker around the neck in mid-air as he went for a straightforward lay-up.
"Your guys don't make any gifts to us, and we don't make any gifts to you," added Collet.
"I would like to ask you, what did you think about Rudy Fernandez's actions against Tony Parker in the European final last year?
"I didn't commit the fouls. I didn't ask them to commit the fouls. I cannot answer for my players."
In the last minute of the Olympic encounter, Turiaf knocked Fernandez to the floor and Batum struck Juan Carlos Navarro with a painful blow to the midriff.
Spain coach Sergio Scariolo said both players were given treatment after the game and were doubtful for the semi-final against Russia on Friday.
"They are bad right now," he said.
"They will go through treatment for the rest of day. Right now it is difficult to say that somehow they will be able to
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