NBA: Foot injury scratches Nocioni from Olympic qualifier

Buenos Aires, Argentina (Sports Network) - Chicago Bulls forward Andres Nocioni ruled himself out of the upcoming FIBA Americas Championship with a foot injury.

It was just the latest blow for Argentina. Manu Ginobili and Fabricio Oberto of the San Antonio Spurs and Walter Hermann of the Charlotte Bobcats have already bowed out of the Olympic qualifying tournament in Las Vegas.

"This damn sole (plantar) fasciitis I've been carrying for some months has not fully healed," Nocioni said in a statement released on Argentina basketball's federation web site.

"I cannot explain how angry I am," Nocioni added. "Since making my debut in the national team, I have never been absent from any nomination and I did not want to be absent now."