Plushenko grateful for support shown by sporting community on son's decision

Former Russian figure skater Evgeni Plushenko is widely regarded as one of the greatest athletes ever to step onto the ice, a reputation cemented by his four Olympic medals and multiple world and European championship titles. Following reports last week that his son, Alexander, would switch sporting allegiance to Azerbaijan, the move sparked widespread discussion across Russia's sporting community. Now, the Olympic champion himself has weighed in.

Writing on his Telegram channel, Plushenko said it was important to him that his son's decision had received broad support from across the sports world.

“On the whole, it was very important to me that the entire sports community supported my son. A sporting career is short, difficult and unpredictable. You won't find many dinosaurs like me anymore — someone who was still competing at the Olympics at 31,” he wrote, referring to a career that saw him compete at four Winter Olympic Games.

Plushenko's words followed comments made earlier by Alexei Yagudin, another celebrated Russian skater whose rivalry with Plushenko defined an era of men's figure skating. Despite their long-standing competitive history, Yagudin publicly backed the younger Plushenko's decision to compete under the Azerbaijani flag.

Alexander's transfer has reportedly been approved by the Russian Figure Skating Federation, marking another high-profile nationality switch by a Russian athlete amid the international restrictions that continue to affect the country's competitors.

The younger Plushenko has trained at the "Plushenko Angels" academy since 2017, a skating school founded by his father to develop the next generation of talent. He also regularly performs alongside Evgeni Plushenko in professional ice shows while continuing his competitive development.

Several prominent figures from Russia's figure skating community have commented on the move, including legendary coach Tatyana Tarasova and former skater and coach Alexander Zhulin.

By Nazrin Sadigova