Double Olympic champion Evgeni Plushenko has confirmed that his son Alexandr will represent Azerbaijan.
13-year-old Alexandr Plushenko has been granted Azerbaijani sports citizenship for five years. His father Evgeni stated that the transition process followed the rules: "Sasha is 13. He was not a member of the Russian national team, did not compete this season, and has served the required quarantine period. He did not take anyone's place and trained at my private academy."
The young athlete also commented on his goals: "I have been granted Azerbaijani sports citizenship for five years. I hope I will represent the country worthily on the international stage and achieve successful results."
The Russian Figure Skating Federation (FFKR) officially approved Alexandr's release at its Executive Committee meeting. Starting next season, Alexandr can compete internationally under the Azerbaijani flag. He only needs to obtain a special document from the International Skating Union (ISU) confirming his right to compete.
Alexandr Plushenko, though rarely participating in official Russian tournaments, is well-known to audiences from his performances in various ice shows.
