ST. Mesut Ozil Jersey . PETERSBURG, Russia - Evgeni Plushenko, a former Olympic champion figure skater and lawmaker in St. Petersburg, has reportedly started training for the 2014 Sochi Olympics. The Itar Tass news agency quoted Plushenko as saying Friday that he is leaving the political arena because "it is impossible to prepare for the competition while engaging in politics." The 2006 Olympic champion and 2010 Olympic silver medallist lost his eligibility in mid-2010 after participating in exhibitions without the permission of the Russian figure skating federation. The International Skating Union restored Plushenkos amateur status in April, clearing the way for him to compete at the 2014 Games in Russia. Plushenko joined the pro-Kremlin Just Russia political party in 2006 and was elected to the St. Petersburg Legislative Assembly in 2007. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain Arsenal Jersey . -- Chris Bosh made his case: He wanted to go for the win. Hector Bellerin Arsenal Jersey . The 29-year-old scored once and assisted on another as Colorado edged the host Calgary Flames 3-2 on Friday.The fans have spoken: Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry is an all-star.Lowry made a late surge in fan balloting and will start for the Eastern Conference at the NBA all-star game. The scrappy Raptors guard passed Miamis Dwyane Wade in voting and will start alongside Washingtons John Wall, the first time the East has had two first-time starters at guard since 2000.Lowry finished with 805,290 votes to rally from a deficit of more than 100,000 votes at the last balloting update to overtake Wade. Fans rewarded him with his first all-star appearance for his hard-nosed play in leading the Raptors to a huge lead in the Atlantic Division. Hes the first Raptor to start since Chris Bosh in 2008.Lowry is averaging 19.8 points per game, 7.5 assists and 4.9 rebounds, career highs in all three categories.Lowry and Walls tandem is not the only first at this all-star game. Pau and Marc Gasol have been voted the first brothers to start in the NBA all-star game.Pau Gasol of Chicago will start up front for the East along with Lebron James and Carmelo Anthony for the Feb. 15 game in New York. Memphis Marc Gasol joins New Orleans Anthony Davis and the Clippers Blake Griffin in the West frontcourt.Tom and Dick Van Arsdale played in the 1970 and 1971 games, but the Gasols — once traded for each other — are the first brothers chosen to start.Wall earned his first appearance last year, and now hes earned his first start. The East hasnt had both its guards making their first start since Philadelphias Allen Iverson and Charlottes Eddie Jordan in 2000.Fans had to vote for two guards and three frontcourt players. The reserves will be picked by the head coaches in each cconference and be announced next Thursday.Aaron Ramsey Jersey. Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who had previously asked Canadians via Twitter to vote for Lowry, tweeted out his congratulations to the Raptors point guard after the vote was announced Thursday.Great work by all of Canadas basketball fans for helping to make @Klow7 an #NBAAllStarNYC starter. Congrats, Kyle, Harper wrote.Golden States Stephen Curry made his own late surge to pass James as the overall leading vote-getter, the league announced Thursday. Kobe Bryant was also voted to start at West guard, though thats in jeopardy because of a torn right rotator cuff.The star of the NBA-leading Golden State Warriors, Curry ended up with more than 1.5 million votes, more than 42,000 ahead of James, who had a 13,285-vote lead over the sharpshooter at the last update. Curry, who just two years ago was an all-star snub, becomes the first Warriors player elected to consecutive starts since Chris Mullin in 1991-92.His partner in the backcourt is up in the air after the Lakers revealed Bryants injury earlier Thursday. Though the severity of the injury is unknown, many rotator cuff injuries require surgery and several months of rehabilitation.That could rule Bryant out of his 17th all-star appearance, second all-time behind Kareem Abdul Jabbars 19. Bryants first was in 1998 at Madison Square Garden, the site of this years game.Commissioner Adam Silver would name an injury replacement if needed, and coaches Steve Kerr (Golden State) of the West and Mike Budenholzer (Atlanta) of the East would determine who replaces an injured player in the lineup.___With files from The Associated Press Cheap Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys ' ' '
