Russia’s Figure Skating Federation has granted 13-year-old skater Alexander Plushenko permission to compete for Azerbaijan, the Russian state news agency RIA Novosti reported, citing sources. Plushenko could represent Azerbaijan at international competitions as early as next season, the agency said.
Alexander Plushenko is the son of two-time Olympic champion Evgeni Plushenko and TV host Yana Rudkovskaya. From early childhood, he regularly appeared on social media, TV shows, and in advertisements alongside his parents.
For Russian figure skaters, changing sporting citizenship is not uncommon. Athletes with little chance of securing a spot on Russia’s highly competitive national team typically transfer to the squads of other countries (mainly former Soviet states). In 2025, Alexander Plushenko finished 18th out of 23 competitors at the Russian national championships.
Russia’s figure skating team has been barred from international competitions since 2022 (which is also a frequent reason for athletes to change their sporting citizenship). Yana Rudkovskaya and Evgeni Plushenko have repeatedly and publicly expressed support for Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine.
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