Head of Russia's Olympic Committee Resigns Beautifully

Leonid Tyagachev, the head of the Russian Federation's Olympic Committee, told All Sport news agency Thursday (March 4) that he will make a “beautiful statement” about his resignation.

Photo: Head of Russia's Olympic Committee Resigns Beautifully

The sports official said that neither the Olympic Charter, nor Russian legislation hold the National Olympic Committee liable for the results of the Olympics. “The situation around the results of Vancouver Olympics was heated up to the point that I, as a sportsman, coach, and simply as a patriot of my country, made a decision to resign,” Tyagachev said. He added that he felt “personally responsible for every Russian sportsman.”

Tyagachev kept his promise, at the very least, regarding his resignation. “The Russian Federation's Olympic Committee provided all required logistic and technical conditions for the Russian Olympic team in Vancouver in compliance with the Olympic Charter of the International Olympic Committee. Yet, at the Olympics in Vancouver we did not display the results that our fans expected of us,” Tyagachev said in his official statement.

“As the president of the Russian Federation's Olympic Committee I, along with other executives of the Russian sport, am responsible for this result. I made a decision to resign, and the Executive Board of Russia’s Olympic Committee will consider the issue of convocation of extraordinary Olympic meeting during its next meeting,” Tyagachev concluded.

Earlier, Tyagachev told journalists that he agreed with the assessment of Vancouver results. “Vancouver Olympics have not yielded the results we and our fans expected. I think that the assessment of the government and the President’s administration is correct, and therefore, I am resigning,” he stated.

The Executive Board of Russia’s Olympic Committee will meet on March 10 or 12 to select a date for the meeting where the reports will be heard an a candidate for the position of the head of the Russian Federation's Olympic Committee will be put in nomination.

According to Lifenews.Ru, Tyagachev believes that Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko should follow his example: "I think that both Tyagachev and Mutko should resign. This is a sports principle. If you lose, resign.”

The Sports Minister refused to provide comments regarding this statement, but said earlier that he was ready to resign.

Russia placed 11^th in the Olympics with three gold, five silver and seven bronze medals.

Utro.ru

Russia Today: Russia's Olympic Committee head resigns