The president of the suspended Russian Olympic Committee mentioned Tuesday he plans to step down after six years in cost.
Stanislav Pozdnyakov’s assertion comes simply over two months after a delegation of 15 Russians competed on the Paris Olympics as “Particular person Impartial Athletes” with out the nationwide flag or anthem on account of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The athletes didn’t signify the ROC, whose Worldwide Olympic Committee recognition was suspended final 12 months, and Pozdnyakov had been sharply vital of the impartial guidelines.
Pozdnyakov mentioned in an announcement on the ROC web site a board assembly subsequent month was anticipated to set a date to elect his substitute, who would seemingly take workplace shortly earlier than the IOC too elects a brand new chief.
“The geopolitical challenges that our nation faces dictate the necessity for optimization and centralization of the administration of key areas of exercise, together with elite-level sports activities,” Pozdnyakov mentioned. He added “the position of the state these days is necessary as by no means earlier than” in supporting athletes and sports activities occasions.
Pozdnyakov is a former Olympic fencing gold medallist who holds the rank of colonel within the Russian army.
Russian athletes haven’t competed beneath the nation’s nationwide flag at any of the three Olympic Video games throughout Pozdnyakov’s six-year tenure as president of the ROC.
For the pandemic-delayed Summer time Olympics in Tokyo in 2021 and the Winter Olympics in Beijing the next 12 months, Russians competed beneath the ROC title and flag as a part of the fallout from long-running disputes over doping circumstances.