Vladimir Salnikov reportedly intends to stand for a fresh term as Russian Swimming Federation President ©Kazan 2015

Four-time Olympic champion Vladimir Salnikov reportedly intends to stand for a fresh term as President of the Russian Swimming Federation (RSF) following the "good results" registered at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro last month.

The 56-year-old, nicknamed the "Monster of the Waves", was considered one of the greatest swimmers of all time before being elected President in 2009.

"I have made a decision to take part in the elections [in 2017]," Salnikov told the TASS news agency.

"I have no information regarding other candidates wishing to run for the post of the RSF President."

Russian breaststroke star Yuliya Efimova claimed silver medals in both the 100 and 200 metres events and Anton Chupkov and Evgeny Rylov won bronzes in the respective 200m breaststroke and 200m backstroke finals.

The team's participation, however, was overshadowed by doping allegations.

Seven of the 37-strong Russian squad, including Efimova, were declared ineligible by the International Swimming Federation (FINA) following the publication of the McLaren Report into Russian doping, only to be granted permission to compete just days before competition began following successful appeals to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Vladimir Salnikov was a four-time Olympic champion swimmer for the Soviet Union ©Getty Images
Vladimir Salnikov was a four-time Olympic champion swimmer for the Soviet Union ©Getty Images

Swimmers from other countries criticised their participation, with Salnikov claiming "the whole atmosphere was very strange".

He said the situation now was similar to the past "when we had the situation with the Cold War and everything was like Russia [versus] America and a lot of people were putting oil on the flame to make it higher".

More than 20 Russian swimmers have been handed doping bans since Salnikov was first elected to his post in 2009.

Salnikov claimed three gold medals at the Moscow 1980 Games boycotted by the United States and a further one at Seoul 1988.

He also became the first person to swim the 1500m freestyle in under 15 minutes.

He also served as a European representative on the FINA Bureau until this year, when he was controversially voted off the position after being omitted from a list of "preferred candidates"circulated in the name of LEN President Paolo Barelli beforehand.

Salnikov had also sided with Barelli's unsuccessful Presidential challenger Erik van Heijningen of The Netherlands.

"The date for the RSF evaluation session has not been defined as of yet and will be announced following the Presidium’s meeting," he added to TASS.