13-year-old figure skater Alexander Plushenko will change his sporting nationality and compete for Azerbaijan. This is a common practice for figure skaters who believe that they do not have a great chance of getting into the Russian national team – they leave for countries where figure skating is less developed in order to qualify for the World Championships and Olympic Games in low competition conditions.
The figure skater’s father, two-time Olympic champion Evgeni Plushenko, has been public to talk He expressed his patriotism and spoke in support of the authorities. He spoke very harshly about athletes who changed their sports nationality after the start of the great war between Russia and Ukraine. “I honestly don’t understand how you can abandon your country, accept these terms, abandon a special military operation in order to go to the Olympics. Abandon our president, abandon our lands, our resources, mom, dad.” to talk It is in October 2022.
In this context, news that Alexander Plushenko will compete for Azerbaijan sparked sharp reactions on social media. Evgeniy Plushenko and his son even closed their Instagram accounts. Here’s what coaches, commentators and experts have to say about it – and Evgeniy Plushenko himself.
Yevgeny Plushenko
Let’s see what comes of this. Sasha is still very young, he is 13 years old. He was not a member of the Russian national team. This season, for various reasons, he did not participate in the competitions and therefore served in quarantine. I didn’t take anyone’s place, I studied in my own academy.
This is a very difficult decision. Sasha enters a decisive and exciting moment in his life. I wish friendship and support from Russia and Azerbaijan in the field of sports. I believe that we will develop snowboarding together in our countries, help and support each other. These are difficult times and this support is very important.
Anton Sikharulidze
President of the Russian Figure Skating Federation
Sasha Plushenko is young, we have transitional rules. He did not participate in the competitions, is not a member of the national team and did not actively participate in the all-Russian competitions this year. He is a minor, and his parents are the ones who make the decision.
Yes, he obtained an Azerbaijani passport. Taking into account all the rules, we legally gave Sasha the opportunity to compete for Azerbaijan. He didn’t break any rules. May God grant him success there.
Tatiana Tarasova
Coach, inducted into the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame
He has a father and a mother. They think he would rather go to the junior tournament there. There is no competition. We have a lot of competition. They are thinking about his life, not wanting to waste all their energy in vain.
Dmitry Guberniev
Commentator
He speaks on behalf of whoever he wants. This is the personal life of his parents. If he wants to compete for Azerbaijan, I understand his desire: he is guaranteed to try to represent them at the Olympics.
There may be some business issues between Evgeniy and Yana [Рудковской] – Azerbaijan is not a poor country.
Svetlana Zurova
State Duma deputy, Olympic champion in speed skating
If all legal procedures are completed, this is the athlete’s right. If it were not for Zhenya Plushenko’s son, no one would have discussed this matter. For people like Zhenya and Yana, making a decision is very difficult – they will be under fire. Most people will be judgmental. I am certain that the state did not invest a single penny in preparing my son, as he worked in a private school. But people will still try to condemn.
Evgeny decided this because he fears that his son will lose international experience, and at the age of 13 he has to start gaining it. It will not be easy for Sasha, but there is less competition in Azerbaijan. Athletes and fans understand that, but regular people will be very judgmental. The wife must be prepared: he will be accused of unpatriotism.
Vitaly Milonov
Deputy of the State Duma
Plushenko made a huge mistake. His son is still a minor and does not make independent decisions. Yevgeny himself is in charge here.
I don’t know why he did that. All this time he behaved with such dignity. To end up so ugly. Honestly, it’s very unpleasant. By the way, we supported and helped Plushenko’s son.
I am not discussing minors, here we can only talk about Evgenia. It turns out that some professional things are more expensive than the country for him. Thank God we have a large number of other athletes who don’t do that.
Maria Butyrskaya
World champion 1999
There is another reason on my mind – not because of the competition in our country, but with the opportunity to perform on the international stage. Zhenya does not do anything! Naturally, all of this has been thought about and weighed. Of course, it’s great to play for Russia, and he understands that himself. I don’t particularly follow Alexander, so it’s hard to say whether he will have success there.
Loss of our snowboarding? Boys are developing interestingly in figure skating. In any case, we lose: the competition is becoming less, and in general, the name Plushenko himself is associated with Russia, he is a hero and our hero. So I took a different route and put my kid in another sport – tennis, so I wouldn’t have to do that later, haha.
Elena Vaitsekhovskaya
Sports journalist
For some time, we have somehow automatically begun to evaluate skaters’ transitions to other flags from a position of “losing” or “not losing.” Although actually predicting what kind of result this or that skater can show in the future after changing countries is not very interesting from the point of view of elementary sports ethics. Especially when a person does not break ties with mentors upon parting, does not betray anyone and pays bills. Quite simply, he’s not burning any bridges behind him.
The world of snowboarding, despite the popularity of the sport, is small. You never know how and at what time fate will bump you into someone you once threw behind: “It’s not a loss!”
One can be cynical about the topic “Plyushenko and Azerbaijan”, although in fact to note something interesting: since Russian athletes (and not only) began to change their sports nationality, a club system in figure skating has already begun to be built, where countries appear instead of club names.
Irina Rodnina
Three-time Olympic champion
Is Russia losing a talented skater? I don’t understand why in such cases they always talk about loss. We have never stopped the migration of people either at the national level or in the field of sports. In this case, the decision will be made by his parents who are responsible for him.
Why did everyone focus on Sasha Plushenko? She didn’t play for anyone in our country. I haven’t seen any information that her transfers are making our fans or journalists angry. The person represents another country, and also has three nationalities. So much for patriotic education and moral character.
Alina Leonova
Vice World Champion 2012
People are looking for opportunities to perform internationally, and that’s not a bad thing. Since everything is generally not clear here, in principle, the competition is quite serious even at the beginner level. Coaches and parents make sure that the child has a future in sports. I don’t see anything like that here, it’s neither good nor bad, it’s a common situation.