Russia"s Evgeni Plushenko, who hoped to...

Earlier on Friday, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said in a message to Plushenko his silver Olympic medal wais worth "gold."

The former Olympic and three-time world champion returned to the ice late last year after a self-imposed retirement from competitive skating following his stunning performance in Torino.

He easily won an international Moscow cup in October and the Russian national championship in December. He also triumphed at last month"s European Championships.

MOSCOW, February 21 (RIA Novosti)