Russia finished 11th in the overall medals table with 15 medals, three of them gold, behind the Netherlands, their worst performance since they made their debut at Lillehammer in 1994 following the break-up of the Soviet Union.

Medvedev said: "Those responsible should take the brave decision and sign a letter [of resignation].

"If they can't we will help them.

"We must drastically change the training of our athletes, judging by what has happened in Vancouver.

"The athlete, not federations, those fat cats, must be given priority."

At the Turin Games in 2006, Russia was in the top five, with 22 medals, including eight golds.

Medvedev claimed that the team was now paying for the collapse of the Soviet system nearly 20 years ago.

He said: "For a long time we have benefited from Soviet achievements.

"At some point they ran out.

"We have lost the Soviet sports school, it is simply gone, but we have not formed our own system."

Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko, though, tried to a brave face on Russia's performance by claiming that the country had in fact finished sixth overall based on the United States system of placing the team with the most medals at the top of the table.

He said: "I do not consider the sixth place at the Olympics as a failure.

"The Canadians set a [medals] counter basing on the overall number of won medals and not on the gold."

Mutko admitted that he may be forced to resign over the team's poor performance.

He said: "I can easily resign, but I don't know if sports will gain from it.

"It seems to me we've done everything possible,"

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