Russia's Olympic Committee accepted the resignation of its head Leonid Tyagachev Tuesday, following the country's poor performance at the Vancouver Winter Olympics.

Tyagachev submitted his resignation on March 3, two days after President Dmitry Medvedev said senior sports officials should quit over the country's poor showing at the Winter Olympics.

The election of Russia's new Olympic chief is scheduled for May 20, a member of the Russian Olympic Committee executive body Shamil Tarpishchev said. Till then, first vice president of the Russian Olympic Committee Igor Kazikov has been named the acting president.

Russia took the 11th place in the overall medals table at the Vancouver Winter Games, winning three golds, five silvers and seven bronzes. Its ice hockey team was also knocked out of the tournament at the quarter-final stage by eventual winners Canada.

Citing the disappointing performance, Medvedev said on March 1, "Those who bear responsibility for the Olympic preparations... should make a courageous decision and submit their resignations immediately."

Tyagachev, the former sports and tourism minister, has held his Olympic Committee post since 2001.

Russia's Black Sea resort of Sochi is going to host the 2014 Winter Olympics.

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