MOSCOW, June 1. /TASS/. Russian figure-skater and twice Olympic champion Yevgeny Plushenko, who announced his comeback to sports in April, has been included in the national team for the 2015/2016 season.
The executive committee of the Figure Skating Federation of Russia (FFKKR) in line with the recommendations of the coaching staff approved the national team list of around 60 athletes on Monday.
Russia's Maxim Kovtun, 19, will also participate in the men's singles figure skating competition.
Plushenko, 32, who last year underwent surgery and has not performed since the 2014 Sochi Olympics, said in April that he would return to sports and take part in the world and European championships in 2016.
The titled Russian figure skater performed in four Olympics throughout his career, winning his first Olympic gold at the 2006 Winter Games in Italy’s Turin and the second in February last year at Russia’s Winter Olympics in Sochi.
Plushenko, who also brought Russia silver medals both at the 2002 Olympics in US Salt Lake City and at the 2010 Olympics in Canada’s Vancouver and won seven European champion titles, struggled with back injuries over the two skating seasons prior to the 2014 Sochi Olympics, but kept insisting that he would be able to perform well on his home ice.