But Vitaly Mutko, the Sports Minister who is seen as being pivotal to Russia's chances of bidding successfully to host the 2018 World Cup, again signalled his determination not to quit.

Alyoshin, a former President of the Russian Swimming Federation, is also the vice-president of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC).

At the Sports Ministry he was responsible for elite and recreational sports and becomes the second high-ranking official to quit after Russia's dismal showing at last month's Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

He had been appointed to the post by Vladimir Putin in June 2008.

Leonid Tyagachyov resigned as President of the ROC on March 3, two days after Russian President Dmitry Medvedev ordered top sports officials to quit or be sacked.

The ROC's executive board will meet next week to discuss Tyagachyov's successor.

Russia finished only 11th overall in Vancouver with just 15 medals - three gold.

It was their worst performance since they started competing in the Winter Olympics in 1994 following the collapse of the Soviet Union.

The future of long-serving Russian figure skating chief Valentin Piseyev was also thrown into doubt today when the sport's governing body voted to hold elections in June.

In Vancouver, Russia finished out of the medals in the Olympic pairs competition for the first time since 1964.

Former men's champion Yevgeny Plushenko was also highly critical of Piseyev for his lack of support, after finishing second behind American Evan Lysacek.

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