Skate Today

Hopes of competing at the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi may have come to an end for former Olympic Champion Evgeny Plushenko. Plushenko failed to file an appeal after the International Skating Union ruled he breached ISU eligibility rules. Plushenko breached his eligibility after skating in several exhibition performances shortly after withdrawing from the World Championships citing an injury. The ISU has rules against skaters withdrawing from competitions to skate in exhibitions for monetary gain.

The ISU released this statement:

Further to the Decision of the ISU Council on the eligibility of Mr. Evgeny Plushenko published in ISU Communication No.1622, item 5, the ISU informs that no appeal against this Decision has been filed by Mr. Evgeny Plushenko within the 21 day deadline and that as a result the above Decision of the Council has become final.

The ISU Members are obliged to take due notice of the ineligibility of Mr. Evgeny Plushenko for any ISU activity.

Fredi Schmid
ISU Director General

But Team Plushenko isn’t giving up quite yet.

AFP has quoted Plushenko’s wife saying “everything will be alright. Yevgeny is practising and has a strong desire to perform at the Sochi Olympics.”

And Alexei Mishin was quoted saying “We decided to choose another way to defend his interests but we are set to keep it secret until the right time comes.”

I guess Plushenko’s sword fighting will continue…