By Nick Butler

Alexander Zhukov has been reappointed President of the Russian Olympic Committee ©ROCAlexander Zhukov has been reappointed President of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) following a meeting attended by around 300 guests in Moscow.


Zhukov, a key ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin first elected ROC President in 2010, was the only candidate and consequently received 232 votes in favour, with just one against. 

He will now serve a second four-year term having first been elected in May 2010 to replace Leonid Tyagachev following his retirement. 

The 57-year-old Zhukov previously served as Deputy Prime Minister of Russia from 2004 and 2011 and has extensive experience in sports administration, including six years as President of the Russian Chess Federation between 2003 and 2009.

Last September he was elected a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in Buenos Aires, and has since been appointed by IOC President Thomas Bach as head of the Evaluation Commission that will analyse the bids for the 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympic Games.

Alexander Zhukov being sworn in as an IOC member in Buenos Aires last September ©Getty ImagesAlexander Zhukov being sworn in as an IOC member in Buenos Aires last September
©Getty Images





Elsewhere at the meeting, attended by athletes, national sporting leaders and IOC members, as well as the ROC Executive Committee, considered a wide variety of other subjects including recent changes to the ROC Charter as well as budget changes ahead of Rio 2016. 
It was revealed almost 260 million rubles ($7.5 million/£4.5 million/€5.5 million) had been provided for the preparation for the Games in 2016, with Zhukov claimed this assistance will increase over coming years ahead of both Rio 2016 and Pyeongchang 2018.

"I was pleased that everyone has unanimously recognised the successful work of the past four years," said Zhukov following his re-election. 

"And not only for the reason that at the Games in Sochi, we won. 

"Our activities are multifaceted and cover many areas: including the promotion and creation of educational programmes in schools and universities as well as international activities. 

"We have received support in all directions and Russia's prestige as a sports power in the world has grown."

A series of other appointments were also made at the meeting, including the promotion of Vladmir Senglea from the position of executive director to that of director general, while 31-year-old five-time Olympic gold medal winning synchronised swimmer Anastasia Davydova was appointed secretary-general.

Five-time Olympic gold medallist Anastasia Davydova has been appointed as the new secretary general of the Russian Olympic Committee ©Getty ImagesFive-time Olympic gold medallist Anastasia Davydova has been appointed as the new secretary general of the Russian Olympic Committee ©Getty Images

Four new vice-presidents were also selected, two of which were Vladimir Lisin and Vladimir Kozhin, who represent the respective national governing confederations for Summer and Winter Olympic sports. 

Igor Levitin, chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Table Tennis Federation of Russia was also appointed, along with Gennady Timchenko, chairman of the Board of Directors on the Kontinental Hockey League. 

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