When he returns in the race?, IN SEPTEMBER !!!

http://spb.kp.ru/daily/24274/469719/
8.4.2009., St. Petersburg

In the press-center «Komsomolka» held a press conference with the prize-winners and participants last world championship of figure skating in America.
It was attended by President of the Federation of Figure Skating of St. Petersburg Oleg Nilov, bronze medals - sports Pairs Yuko Kawaguti & Alexander Smirnov, their coach - Tamara Moskvina. Single woman skater Alena Leonova (7th) and her mentor, Alla Pyatov...

... About Evgeni Plushenko

Oleg Nilov: "If in Zhenya no injuries, no barriers should not prevent him to compete at the 2010 Olympics. Plushenko will be "locomotive" for all our athletes, especially for young single man skaters. He added them his power, authority. Evgeni gets the form: now in training, he jumps a triple cascade and quadruple jumps."....

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... same press conference...

http://www.mr7.ru/sport/other/story_11247....34d2fd59f35eae7

Evgeni Plushenko trusted hope

... According to Oleg Nilov, for Olympic medals in the men's singles skating of Voronov and Lutay's, fight will not occur. But, with a possible return to the team, Turin Olympic champion Evgeni Plushenko, Russian fans can see hope.

Athlete specially prepared within two months. Return to the amateur sport after a three-year break - is not easy, but Evgeni has decided to risk. If everything goes according to plan, he will be able to participate in the Olympic Games in Vancouver, and will be the main hope.




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http://www.allsportinfo.ru/index.php?id=26344
8.4.2009.

Valentin Piseev: If Plushenko will return to the amateur sport, in Vancouver he will be able to fight for a medal

At the Winter Olympic Games 2010 in Vancouver, Russian figure skaters will be able to fight for a maximum of four medals - gold and bronze in Ice Dancing, as well as in the Pairs and men's singles skating, in condition, that return Olympic champion Evgeni Plushenko.
This was yesterday, 7 April, executive said in the Olympic Committee of Russia, President of Russian Federation of figure skating Valentin Piseev, to news agency «All sports».

"At the recent World Championships in Los Angeles, we once again checked the model of acclimatization to the North American continent, as well as to compare themselves with the strongest world's figure skaters - said Valentine Piseev.
- With the exception of the French dancing pair Isabelle Delobel - Olivier Shonfelder, in Los Angeles is performed are absolutely all the strongest. Defined there, and the number of members of our Olympic team. In Vancouver will go on 16 Russian figure skaters: three dance couples, three sporting pair, two men and two women. This is a very impressive representation, for example, the United States or Canadian figure skaters selected less. We rejoice because that first time, since 2005, our athletes - Oksana Domnina and Maxim Shabalin, have become champions of the world...

Thus, in Vancouver, I expect that we will fight for gold, and possibly also a bronze medal in dance. For any medal - in the tournament sporting couples, where we look at the third on World Championship 2009 - Yuko Kawaguti and Alexander Smirnov. In single skating, difficult to any of them can pretend to medals. Although, if Evgeni Plushenko is indeed back in the amateur sport in Vancouver, he will be able to fight for a medal."