The Russian president, Dmitri Medvedev, was clear about the future of Russia's Olympic officials. "If they don't go of their own accord, we'll happily help them on their way," Medvedev said in televised remarks on Monday.

Russia suffered a disappointing performance in Vancouver, finishing 11th in the medals table after winning just three gold medals, as well as 12 silvers and bronzes. Russia's poor showing came as a bitter blow to a country used to dominating the Winter Olympics since Soviet times.

At the Turin Winter Olympics in 2006, Russian was among the top five with 22 medals, including eight golds.

The result in Vancouver was especially embarrassing because Russia will host the 2014 Winter Games in the Black Sea resort of Sochi.

Crushed hopes

"For a long time we have benefitted from Soviet achievements, at some point they ran out," Medvedev said. "We have lost the Soviet sports school, it is simply gone, but we have not formed our own system. We need to think about how to change the system of preparing athletes. Its main focus needs to be the athlete himself, not the federations, which seem sometimes like fat cats."

Opposition politicians have also called for the sports minister and the head of Russia's Olympic Committee to resign, while the media have voiced concern about the country's preparedness to stage the Sochi games and the ability of its athletes to use their home advantage.

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Editor: Michael Lawton