Valentin Maslakov has offered to step down as the head coach of Russian athletics following a recent doping scandal.
The 70-year-old had been in charge of Russia since 2007, but he has now handed in a letter of resignation.
His departure comes in the wake of a World Anti-Doping Agency investigation into claims of doping.
"This is a manly thing to do from an absolute professional in his business," president of the Russian Athletics Federation Valentin Balakhnichev told website Team Russia 2016.
"We discussed this together after the effect the doping revelations have had on Russian athletics. Even though Maslakov has nothing to do with anti-doping policies of the Russian athletics team, he could not stand by idly and decided to take responsibility for those who he was in charge of."
Earlier this week the Russian Anti-Doping Agency announced that Olga Kaniskina, Valery Borchin, Sergei Kirdyapkin, Sergei Bakulin and Vladimir Kanaykin had all been suspended for doping violations.
Alex Meyers
