Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) President Stanislav Pozdnyakov has announced his resignation.
“I am sure that the ROC Executive Committee will accept my resignation at its next meeting on November 7 and will set a date for an Olympic assembly to hold early elections of a new leadership of the Russian Olympic Committee,” the ROC quoted Pozdnyakov as saying in a statement.
Pozdnyakov has held his post since 2018. He is a four-time Olympic champion in sabre fencing and a ten-time world champion. Pozdnyakov is also a 13-time European champion. In 2008, he was appointed head coach of the Russian national fencing team.
In late February 2022, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) issued an appeal to international sports federations and recommended that they not allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in any competitions. In late 2023, the organization decided to allow Russians and Belarusians to participate in the 2024 Olympic Games as neutral athletes. To participate, they had to meet several requirements and qualify. Medals won by Russians and Belarusians were not counted in the unofficial medal count.
