A senior Russian lawmaker has called on two-time Olympic figure skating champion Evgeni Plushenko to publicly explain why his son Alexander has switched his sports citizenship to represent Azerbaijan.
Dmitry Svishchev, the first deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on Physical Culture and Sports, said the decision had drawn widespread criticism because no official reasons were given for the move.
According to a report by Russian sports outlet Sport24, Svishchev urged the former skater to clarify what prompted the change of national teams.
Svishchev stated that public reaction to the young skater changing sports citizenship was almost entirely negative due to the absence of an explanation from the family.
The lawmaker said Plushenko should state the reason that prompted the move. Svishchev noted that if Plushenko explained that it was impossible to make the national team, that would be one situation, but if he stated he did not want to compete for this country, as his wife Yana Rudkovskaya had previously expressed, that would be a different matter.
Svishchev added that he does not support Russian athletes choosing to perform for other nations. He emphasised that figure skating is currently admitted to international competition, making the decision doubly surprising to Russian sports officials.
Previous statements on sports citizenship
The call for an explanation follows earlier comments by music producer Yana Rudkovskaya, Plushenko's wife, who defended her husband's dedication to Russia. Rudkovskaya stated that Plushenko had given everything to his home country, having won four Olympic medals across four separate Olympic Games during his career.
It was revealed on May 21 that Alexander Plushenko had officially changed his sports citizenship to compete for the Azerbaijan national team. The decision came despite Evgeni Plushenko having previously spoken out on multiple occasions against Russian athletes switching allegiance to represent foreign countries.
Background and parliamentary role
Dmitry Svishchev serves as a key official in Russian sports governance within the State Duma, the lower house of the parliament of Russia. The parliamentary committee oversees athletic federations, sporting regulations, and government support for sports throughout the country.
Evgeni Plushenko is widely regarded as one of the most decorated figure skaters in modern history. Following his competitive career, he established his own figure skating academy in Russia, coaching young athletes alongside his family.
Athletes who switch sports nationality must adhere to regulations set by international bodies such as the International Skating Union. Azerbaijan, located in the South Caucasus, has frequently welcomed foreign-born competitors into its national sports programs.
Neither Evgeni Plushenko nor Yana Rudkovskaya has issued a public response to Svishchev's request for clarification regarding their son's sports transfer to Azerbaijan.
