Sharikov was driving his car on Saturday (June 6) evening when it veered into the path of oncoming traffic and struck another vehicle around 100 kilometres from Moscow, the Russian Olympic Committee announced. 

The 40-year-old, a member of the Russian fencing team for 10 years from 1994 until 2004, was taken to hospital but died from his injuries.

Police have launched an investigation into the incident. 

Sharikov won Olympic gold medals in the team sabre events at Atlanta 1996, where he also claimed individual sabre silver, and Sydney 2000.

He took bronze in the same event at Athens 2004 having been crowned world champion three times between 2001 and 2003.

A gold medal also came Sharikov's way in the individual sabre event at the 2001 edition of the Maccabiah Games, a quadrennial Jewish multi-sport event held in Israel.

He beat Ukraine's Vadim Gutzeit to the top of the podium on that occasion, but lost out to the same opponent at the 2005 Games, and had to settle for the silver medal. 

Sharikov had been coaching Russia’s national fencing team since 2009.