ROC President Stanislav Pozdnyakov, right, has received four more endorsements for his re-election on December 20 ©ANOC

Four more Russian sports federations have joined the list of those offering their backing for Stanislav Pozdnyakov, who will seek re-election as President of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) on December 20.

The national weightlifting, rowing, handball and bobsleigh federations have all announced their support for the 49-year-old former Olympic fencing champion, who took up his Presidential role in 2018, Russia's official state news agency TASS reports.

Pozdnyakov’s candidacy for the post has already been endorsed by the Russian federations representing athletics, wrestling, diving, skating and fencing.

The incumbent ROC President’s nomination from the Russian Weightlifting Federation was unanimous, according to its secretary general Dmitry Vasilenko.

Alexei Svirin, President of the Russian Rowing Federation (FGSR), also reported unanimous support for Pozdnyakov.

The FGSR’s Executive Committee went on to nominate Svirin to become a member of the ROC Executive Committee.

The Executive Committee of the Russian Handball Federation has announced its nomination of Pozdnyakov to continue in his ROC role, with the Russian Bobsleigh Federation also nominating him for the post.

The Russian Rowing Federation has joined numerous other national sporting bodies in endorsing Stanislav Pozdnyakov's candidature to be re-elected as President of the National Olympic Committee ©Getty Images
The Russian Rowing Federation has joined numerous other national sporting bodies in endorsing Stanislav Pozdnyakov's candidature to be re-elected as President of the National Olympic Committee ©Getty Images

Pozdnyakov won the men’s individual sabre title at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics as well as being in the winning team and adding two further team golds to his collection at the Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004 Games.

He also amassed five individual and five team world titles.

From 2016 to 2022 Pozdnyakov headed the European Fencing Confederation.

In June he was removed from his position at an Extraordinary Congress following a unanimous vote of no confidence due to his conduct in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The presence of Pozdnyakov at last month’s Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) General Assembly in Seoul, along with his Belarusian counterpart, drew opposition, with the British Olympic Association and the Latvian Olympic Committee opting to boycott the meeting.

Hans Natorp, President of the National Olympic Committee and Sports Confederation of Denmark, walked out of the auditorium with his team during a video presentation by Pozdnyakov.

Natorp accused Pozdnyakov, who is chair of the ANOC Culture and Education Commission, of using "inappropriate propaganda" in the videos that featured two events which had taken place in Russia since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine.