Olympic champion Yevgeny Plushenko banned indefinitely

Plushenko won silver at the Vancouver Games earlier this year

Former Olympic figure skating champion Yevgeny Plushenko has been banned indefinitely for competing without permission in exhibitions this year.

The Russian, who won gold at the 2006 Turin Games, pulled out of the World Championships in March with an injury.

But he then skated at exhibitions in March and April without permission from the International Skating Union (ISU).

Plushenko, who was banned in June, did not appeal within the 21 days allowed so the ISU has upheld its decision.

An ISU official said: "The ineligibility is ongoing with no specific term.

"Requests for reinstatements may be made in line with ISU regulations and are subject to a review and decision by the ISU Council."

Plushenko, who won silver in Vancouver at this year's Winter Olympics, to add to the silver he won in Salt Lake City in 2002, has already stated he wants to compete at the Sochi Games in his homeland Russia in 2014.

"I've already written it [Sochi] in my plans," the 27-year-old said earlier this year.

"As for Vancouver it's in the past, and I want to look to the future."

Plushenko criticised the judges in Vancouver for marking him down in the short programme when he was the only skater to cleanly land a quadruple jump.