Vitaly Mutko has stepped down as the chairman of next year’s FIFA World Cup in Russia.
The country’s Deputy Prime Minster had already temporarily stood down as President of the Russian Football Union (RFU) for six months to fight his lifetime ban from the Olympic Games.
He has now also resigned as head of the Russia 2018 Organising Committee, saying he wants to focus on “Government work”.
Mutko was banned from the Olympic Games for life by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) earlier this month for his role in the “systemic manipulation” of anti-doping results at events including Sochi 2014.
There was no evidence linking Mutko, Sports Minister from 2008 to 2016, or President Vladimir Putin with the scandal.
But a report from the IOC’s Schmid Commission into Russian doping ruled that, as head of the department, Mutko was ultimately responsible.
The World Cup Organising Committee will now be led by Alexei Sorokin, the chief executive of Russia 2018.
“There is still a lot of work, but I am absolutely sure that everything will be ready on time,” Mutko told R Sports today.
A statement from the Organising Committee published by Russia’s official state news agency TASS said that it would be business as usual despite Mutko’s departure.
“It is with great regret that the Russia 2018 Local Organising Committee (LOC) has learnt of the decision taken today by Vitaly Mutko, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, to tender with immediate effect his resignation as chairman of the LOC and from all related positions, including the chairs of the LOC Managing Board and the LOC Supervisory Board,” the LOC said in its statement.

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