In a statement, the RBF confirmed the election will be held at the conference on March 20.

insidethegames understands that the official elected will serve a four-year term, despite Zubkov still having nearly two years left on his own mandate when his suspension expires in December 2020.

Zubkov, re-elected last year, was prohibited from carrying out his duties as RBF President after the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) banned him for two years for his role in the doping scheme at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics.

The 44-year-old, stripped of his two and four-man gold medals from Sochi 2014 as a result, announced he would resign his position on a temporary basis last week following pressure from the Russian Olympic Committee.

Sochi 2014 bid leader and RBF vice-president Elena Anikina was chosen as interim President and will continue to serve in the role until the election is held in March.

"Effective leadership, fair representation and transparency are important principles for the RBF," said Anikina today.

"The election of a new President in a timely way shows our commitment to these principles.

"All those involved in our sport in Russia can rest assured that their federation continues to act effectively in the interests of sport, working hard to support athletes and their success."

insidethegames understands Zubkov could still return despite the RBF deciding to appoint a permanent successor as it is feasible the person elected may step aside to allow him to assume the role when his ban expires.

Zubkov, who has so far refused to return his Olympic gold medals to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), is still considering an appeal against the IBSF decision.

He was sanctioned after the IOC found him guilty of knowingly participating in the "systematic manipulation" of the anti-doping system at Sochi 2014.

Fellow bobsledders Alexander Kasjanov, Aleksei Pushkarev and Ilvir Khuzin were also banned by the IBSF.

The case against Zubkov is said to be one of the strongest as his sample included "physiologically impossible levels of salt".

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) also ruled that he had provided clean urine before Sochi - a key barometer in establishing guilt of the individual athletes involved.

This stance was accepted by the IBSF Disciplinary Panel, which had access to CAS reasoned decisions on all four athletes.

A court in Moscow recently refused to recognise the CAS ruling against Zubkov, claiming it should not apply on Russian territory.

It effectively means Russia still recognises Zubkov as a double Olympic champion.

Alexey Voevoda, who partnered Zubkov to the two and four-man titles at Sochi 2014, was given a two-year doping ban by the IBSF yesterday.