Alexander Plushenko, 13-year-old figure skater and son of two-time Olympic champion Evgeni Plushenko, has expressed his excitement after receiving official approval from the International Skating Union (ISU) to compete for Azerbaijan on the international stage.

Speaking after the decision, the young figure skater said he is looking forward to representing his new sporting nation and embracing the challenge of international competition, The Caspian Post reports via Sport 24.

"I'm very happy. I'll keep preparing and do my best to perform well. Competing internationally brings special emotions. It's going to be exciting. Watch and cheer for me," Alexander said.

On July 1, the ISU officially cleared Alexander Plushenko to compete under the Azerbaijani flag.

Earlier, Evgeni Plushenko, announced that his son had been granted Azerbaijani sporting citizenship for a five-year period, paving the way for him to represent the country in international figure skating competitions.