MOSCOW, September 29 (RIA Novosti) - Evgeny Plushenko, two-time Olympic champion in figure skating, said that he hopes to compete in the Olympics in 2018 to prove that "he is not a coward".
"Why do I want to participate in the competition? If I performed properly in an individual discipline, I could become one of three winners, I could say: 'Zhenya, it is time to leave'. But so far, it is not over. I want to prove to all those discontented that Plushenko is not a coward and did not betray his country, he could not compete due to health problems," Plushenko told on air to the radio station "Russkay Sluzhba Novostei".
Plushenko won a gold medal for Russia in the team event of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. During warmups for the individual competition due he injured himself and had to exit the competition early due to back pain. In early March the figure-skater underwent surgery for the injury.
Earlier, it was reported that Plushenko would miss the current season, but he has planned to prepare for the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang.
