November 17 – Vitaly Mutko (pictured) will step down next week as President of the Russian Football Union (RFU) because it clashes with his position as the country’s Sports Minister and he is set to be replaced by Sergei Kapkov, a close friend of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich.
Mutko has been forced to give up a job he has held since April 2005 following a directive from Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who has decreed that all Government officials in-charge of various national sports bodies should be replaced by professional officials.
Mutko said: ”Hopefully, on November 24 the RFU’s executive committee will approve my resignation.”
It is unclear what impact Mutko’s forced departure will have on Russia’s bid to host the 2018 World Cup.
He is a member of FIFA’s Technical and Development Committee and last month helped arrange for Sepp Blatter to visit Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to discuss the country’s bid.
There is a growing belief that Russia have moved ahead of England to be the favourites to be chosen to host the 2018 World Cup.
A member of Parliament since 2003, Kapkov heads the Abramovich-sponsored National Academy Fund (NAF) which supplies most of the RFU’s money.
He was also his Deputy Governor in Chukotka before Abramovich stepped down in July 2008.
Alexander Edelstein, the vice-president of the NAF, said: ”Sergei has significant support within political and business circles as well as among the soccer community.
“Since its inception in 2004, NAF has spent well over $200 million (£119 million) on various soccer projects such as building pitches and running youth academies in many parts of the country.”
Kapkov was elected RFU vice-president in April 2006 at the age of 30 and has the support of not only Abramovich but also Guus Hiddink, Russia’s popular Dutch coach.
He said: ”I would support him.
“It would make my job as Russia coach much easier.”
Hiddink’s $5 million (£3 million) salary is partly funded by billionaire Abramovich and he had a brief spell last season as Chelsea coach, leading them to victory in the FA Cup final before returning to work full-time for Russia.
Hiddink said: ”It would certainly make my dialogue with the RFU a lot easier.”
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