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Russia to decide on figure skating lineup for Sochi Olympics on January 23

MOSCOW, January 21 (Itar-Tass) - Russia’s lineup of the national figure skating team for the 2014 Winter Olympics will be finally decided upon on January 23 at a meeting of representatives from the Sports Ministry and the Russian Figure Skating Federation, a source in the ministry said on Tuesday.

The source added that the meeting will be held prior to a session of the executive board of the Russian Olympic Committee, which is also scheduled for Thursday.

With less than three weeks remaining before the start of the Olympics in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi, the most intriguing question remaining for Russia’s traditionally strong figure skating is whether 2006 Olympic champion Evgeni Plushenko would be performing for his country in men’s singles discipline.

Plushenko’s main rival for the spot in the Olympic team is 18-year-old Maxim Kovtun. He left Plushenko behind with silver in Russia’s national championship in January, but finished fifth at the European Championship in Budapest last week, behind two more Russian figure skaters.

On Tuesday, Plushenko test-skated for a special council of experts from the Russian Figure Skating Federation, which will later decide whether he deserved to take part in his fourth Winter Olympics. Both at the 2002 Olympics in US Salt Lake City and at the 2010 Olympics in Canada’s Vancouver Plushenko brought Russia silver medals.

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