MOSCOW (2010 FIBA World Championship) - Russia's Andrei Kirilenko has decided not to play at the FIBA World Championship.

The EuroBasket 2007 MVP wasn’t named in the latest Russia squad announced on Wednesday, although the federation did not rule him out.

Now the 29-year-old Utah Jazz forward, who missed most of his team’s games at the end of the NBA season with a calf injury, has confirmed his absence.

He told the Sport-Express newspaper: "A few days ago, I had a conversation with (Utah) management and agreed that I should not go to the World Championship.

"The Jazz had recommended to me that I should stay, but ultimately the decision was down to me."

Kirilenko missed last year's EuroBasket in Poland so he and his wife could focus on the adoption of their baby daughter.

Russia finished seventh and needed a wild card to take part in this year's basketball extravaganza.

The Russians will still have a strong team, but they will nevertheless miss Kirilenko as they go up against Greece, Ivory Coast, Puerto Rico, China and hosts Turkey in Group C.

Those Preliminary Round games will be in Ankara.

FIBA