(UPDATED) The Philippines has decided not to participate in the basketball competition of the 2018 Asian Games, the sport's national governing body announced on Thursday night.

The message was sent to media organizations via email through the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas' official account, and also posted on the federation's official social media account.

SBP just sent a statement saying it will not participate in the Asian Games | via @camillenaredo pic.twitter.com/LpNScPTeMw

— ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews) July 26, 2018

SBP executive director Sonny Barrios confirmed that PH not sending a men's basketball team to the Asian Games in Indonesia.

— Camille B. Naredo (@camillenaredo) July 26, 2018

The news came just hours after SBP president Al Panlilio, PBA commissioner Willie Marcial and Rain Or Shine team representative Mamerto Mondragon held a press conference to discuss their plans for the Asian Games, which open next month in Indonesia.

Rain Or Shine had been tapped to represent the Philippines there, led by NLEX head coach Yeng Guiao.

ABS-CBN News sought Panlilio and Marcial for comment as soon as the story broke, but did not receive a reply at the time this story was posted.

(For more sports coverage, visit the ABS-CBN Sports website.)