Plushchenko's son may be stripped of his Russian citizenship because of his decision to compete for Azerbaijan
Alexander, the son of Olympic champion and Vladimir Putin supporter Evgeni Plushenko, will make his debut at junior competitions this fall under the Azerbaijani flag. The athlete’s decision to represent another country has sparked outrage among Russian officials.
In particular, Dmitry Svishchev, deputy chairman of the Russian State Duma’s Committee on Sports, is demanding that Evgeni Plushenko publicly explain why his son decided to change his sporting allegiance.
Svishchev stated that he wants to understand exactly what led to Alexander Plushenko’s move to the Azerbaijani national team.
The Russian lawmaker speculates that the decision may have been related to the high level of competition in Russian figure skating or financial considerations.
At the same time, Svishchev questioned the appropriateness of state support for Evgeni Plushenko. He was outraged that the figure skater receives government funding to organize ice shows, yet at the same time is training an athlete who will represent another country.
Svishchev was particularly outraged by the fact that Plushenko has his own academy where young figure skaters train.
“He has an academy where many wonderful and talented children train. What kind of example is he setting for these young athletes if his son is going to compete for another country? As for patriotism—zero. What’s more, it’s a negative example,” the deputy stated.
Svishchev effectively called for a review of state financial support for Plushenko’s projects due to his son’s decision to represent Azerbaijan.
The figure skaters’ family makes no secret of the fact that Alexander’s switch to the Azerbaijani flag is linked to athletic competition.
It is expected that it will be significantly easier for the athlete to qualify for international competitions under his new country’s flag, since he will not have to compete for a spot on the Russian national team against a large number of strong peers.
Thus, the change in national representation could give Plushenko Jr. more opportunities to participate in international competitions.
At the same time, the decision has already sparked a political reaction in Russia, where officials link state funding for athletes to their loyalty to the country.
This is according to reports in the Russian media.
Thirteen-year-old Russian figure skater Alexander Plushenko, the son of two-time Olympic champion and Kremlin supporter Evgeni Plushenko, has received official permission to represent Azerbaijan at international competitions.
Russian figure skater Evgeni Plushenko commented on his 13-year-old son Alexander’s move to the Azerbaijani national team. The athlete, who is known for his support of the Kremlin’s policies and the war against Ukraine, explained the reasons behind this decision to the propaganda media.
