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President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin have called for resignations in the wake of Russia's worst performance at the Winter Games

The head of the Russian Olympic Committee has resigned in the wake of President Dmitry Medvedev’s harsh criticism of the country’s weak performance at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Russia had just three gold medals and 15 medals overall at the Games and went home embarrassed – especially at the lack of gold in two of the sports it once dominated, figure skating and ice hockey. It won two medals fewer than Russia’s previous low mark of 17 at Salt Lake City in 2002.

While one Russian Olympic Committee spokesman said Leonid Tyagachev’s resignation is “not confirmed,” his departure papers were tendered, according to reports on news agencies Interfax and ITAR-Tass, citing Russian Olympic spokesman Gennady Shvets.

“Is a firing unexpected? I don’t think so. It’s the worst the Russians have done since they came back into the Games in 1952,” said Eric Morse, former head of International Sport Relations for Canada’s Foreign Affairs department.