Reports: Russian Olympic Committee chief resigns after poor Vancouver medal haul

Reports: Russian Olympic Committee chief resigns

MOSCOW — Russian news agencies say the head of the nation’s Olympic Committee has resigned in the wake of Russia’s worst performance at the Winter Games.

They quoted committee spokesman Gennady Shvets saying that Leonid Tyagachev submitted his resignation on Wednesday.

President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin suggested a reshuffling of sports officials after Russia won only three golds among a total of 15 medals.

Medvedev warned Monday that if sports officials are reluctant to step down, “we will help them.”

Tyagachev, a former sports minister, was selected in 2001 and helped Russia win hosting rights to the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.