Anikeeva, who served two years as President of the national governing body between 2013 and 2015, is alleged to have worked with two accountants in order to divert funds belonging to the body into companies she controlled.

According to R-Sport, losses totalled 44 million rubles (£581,000/$765,000€648,000).

Anikeeva, the first female President of the RBF, was not present when the verdict was announced.

A warrant has since been issued for her arrest.

It was reported by crimerussia.com that her lawyer David Hechyan told the court that Anikeeva did not attend the meeting because "she did not expect a fair verdict".

Mikhail Kocharyan, the former RBF chief accountant, is accused of being her accomplice.

He died in October 2016.

Anikeeva was removed from office due to the financial irregularities in 2015.

Russia’s former National Basketball Association star Andrei Kirilenko was unanimously elected her replacement and remains in the role today.

Kirilenko played for Utah Jazz, Minnesota Timberwolves and the Brooklyn Nets and also won an Olympic bronze medal at London 2012.

Anikeeva's tenure also ended with the Russian national teams being banned from competing in international tournaments, with the International Basketball Federation citing Governmental interference as the reason for a suspension, which was lifted in January 2016.