HispanicBusiness

Miami Heat forward Chris Bosh said Friday that he will not participate in this summer's Olympics because of his May abdominal injury that sidelined him nine games in the playoffs.

"I am extremely disappointed to say that due to injury, I cannot represent my country in the 2012 Olympics in London," Bosh said in a statement released by his agent. "

The abdominal injury that I suffered in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals is not fully healed.

After The Finals, I met with my doctors to determine the best course of action, with the full intent to play in the Olympics. From those meetings, I was advised that rest and additional rehab of my abdominal injury will be necessary in order to avoid the development of a chronic injury.

"Having enjoyed the honor of representing my country in the 2008 Olympics, when we won the gold medal, I wanted to be part of that experience again. However, I must follow my doctors' advice and properly take care of this injury.

My thoughts will be with our guys in London in August and I am confident that Coach K and the USAB staff will bring home the gold again to the USA.

Bosh returned from the injury to play the final three games of the Eastern Conference Finals against Boston, and the entire five-game NBA Finals.

"If we weren't in the playoffs against Boston, he probably would not have played for another three or four weeks," Heat president Pat Riley said.

Dwyane Wade announced Thursday that he will miss the Olympics to undergo knee surgery. That will leave LeBron James as the sole Heat player on the U.S. Olympic team, which will begin training in Las Vegas next week.