Prokhorov, a 48-year-old industrialist who also owns National Basketball Association (NBA) team Brooklyn Nets, took over the RBU in 2008 at a time of poor results and multiple doping scandals.

He has reportedly since invested up to 3.5 billion rubles ($100 million/£60 million/€72 million) to improve their fortunes.

But in a statement, Prokhorov has said he and executive director Sergei Kushchenko would not stand again for their posts at the elections scheduled for next month, with new candidates having to declare their plans to run by the end of the month.

This followed a declaration by Prokhorov that he would resign if Russia won fewer than two gold medals at Sochi 2014 because he would have personally "failed", after which the squad managed only one victory in the men's relay and two silver medals and one bronze.

In the weeks building up to the Olympics, the squad were also struck by a further doping scandal after Irina Starych was removed from the team following a failed drugs test, while Ekaterina Glazyrina was expelled during the Games after making derogatory comments about the RBU on a social media website.  

The removal of Irina Starych from the Russian team after failing a drugs test was another blow ahead of Sochi 2014 ©AFP/Getty Images



"Sergei and I came into biathlon as a unified team and that's why we've taken the decision to leave together," Prokhorov told RaiSport after announcing plans to stand down, before implying that he regretted the extent of his involvement. 

"We think we have completed the main tasks that faced our biathlon union and there are no major tasks remaining at the moment."

"If you asked me now whether I'd take charge of biathlon, knowing that path, then to be honest, I don't know if I'd agree."

The decision also comes at an interesting political time considering the fact that Prokhorov is at the liberal end of the Russian political spectrum, and unsuccessfully stood in the 2012 Presidential contest, finishing third behind Vladimir Putin. 

He has also criticised recent Russian legislation, including the controversial anti-gay propaganda law which caused such furore ahead of Sochi 2014 and in March, before the situation in Crimea had fully developed, he wrote about the need for an "open dialogue" with the west on Ukraine.

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