Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Mutko has left his role as President of the Russian Football Union ©Getty Images

Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Mutko has stepped down as President of the Russian Football Union (RFU), according to the country's state news agency TASS.

The 59-year-old's most recent stint as head of the body began in 2015, although he was also President from 2005 to 2009.

He temporarily left the role last December to fight his lifetime ban from the Olympic Games, but then returned to the position in October.

According to TASS, RFU Executive Board member Lgor Lebedev said Russian Premier League President Sergei Pryadkin would now serve as acting President until February 22, when the body's general meeting will take place.

Rumours that Mutko might leave the position have been circulating for some time, although earlier this year Russia's President Vladimir Putin said it would be "impossible" to fire him given the international criticism after his role in the country's doping scandal.

The former Sports Minister has been heavily criticised both inside and outside of Russia for his performance in the role.

Though it has never been proven, as Sports Minister at the time Vitaly Mutko has been accused of being responsible for the Russian doping scandal ©Getty Images
Though it has never been proven, as Sports Minister at the time Vitaly Mutko has been accused of being responsible for the Russian doping scandal ©Getty Images

This has included him being removed from the FIFA Council as well as the lifetime ban imposed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

He also stepped down from his role as head of the Organising Committee for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia in a bid to fight his IOC ban, and was replaced by Arkady Dvorkovich.

Neither the IOC nor the World Anti-Doping Agency-commissioned investigations proved that Mutko was directly involved in the doping scandal - which included a sample tampering scheme at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games - but as Sports Minister they accused him of overall responsibility.

Mutko has also been ridiculed for many public statements, including a claim that female Russian ice hockey players could have obtained male DNA within their urine samples via sexual intercourse.

He also embarked on a 77-minute rant attacking international criticism of Russia during a press conference to publicise the World Cup.

His temporary replacement as RFU President. Pryadkin, has been head of the Russian Premier League since 2007.

For a year from 2006 he served as RFU director general, while he is also a member of the European Leagues board of directors.