Polkhovsky has accused Tikhonov, a member of the Russian 4x7.5 kilometres relay team which won four consecutive Olympic gold medals from Grenoble 1968 to Lake Placid 1980, of unduly influencing the RBU Board to not select him for the position.

Polkhovsky, a former head coach of the Kazakhstan team who led the Russian squad in the 2011 to 2012 campaign, claims Tikhonov damaged his reputation by mentioning his alleged involvement in the doping scandal in Russian biathlon 10 years ago to the Board.

Anders Besseberg, the former President of the International Biathlon Union before he stood down amid a criminal investigation also involving ex-secretary general Nicole Resch, said at the time that the sport was "facing systematic doping on a large scale in one of the strongest teams of the world".

The RBU were set to appoint Polkhovsky as the head coach of the women's team before the Board performed a u-turn and instead selected Vitaly Noritsyn.

The dispute marks the first major challenge for new RBU President Vladimir Drachev, the four-time world champion who was elected to the role earlier this month.

"I will file a lawsuit in connection with his statements, it's time for them to answer publicly before the biathlon family," Polkhovsky told TASS.

"I try to cherish my reputation, and in the current situation, patience has reached the boiling point, it's time to extinguish. 

"I need to clear my name. 

"And it's not just about his words about 2008, but also about other insults that have been going on for many years."

Drachev told Sport Express that those who had leaked the appointment to the media had been reprimanded.