Yury Borzakovsky, centre, is among the candidates to succeed Dmitry Shlyakhtin, right, as President of the Russian Athletics Federation ©Getty Images

A total of seven unnamed officials have submitted their candidacies to succeed Dmitry Shlyakhtin as President of the troubled Russian Athletics Federation (RusAF).

According to Russia's official state news agency TASS, the list of candidates to have entered the race includes Mikhail Butov, formerly Russia's highest-ranking international athletics official who resigned from the RusAF Presidium in November.

Butov, the former secretary general of the RusAF, quit the body after seven officials - including Shlyakhtin - were charged with obstructing an anti-doping investigation into world indoor high jump champion Danil Lysenko by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU).

Olympic 800 metres gold medallist and national team coach Yury Borzakovsky, Moscow Athletics Federation head Oleg Kurbatov and sports manager Mikhail Gusev are reportedly among the other contenders.

The election is due to take place at an Extraordinary Conference on February 28.

It is not clear whether Acting President Yulia Tarasenko will throw her hat into the ring after her appointment to the interim role was criticised by several Russian athletes.

The biggest task awaiting the new President is restoring RusAF's status with World Athletics and the country's Sports Ministry.

Mikhail Butov, former secretary general of the Russian Athletics Federation, is now standing to be the new President after resigning from the organisation last November in protest at several decisions ©Facebook
Mikhail Butov, former secretary general of the Russian Athletics Federation, is now standing to be the new President after resigning from the organisation last November in protest at several decisions ©Facebook

The AIU recommended RusAF be expelled from World Athletics after ruling it had failed to satisfactorily answer allegations against the officials charged with obstructing the probe into Lysenko.

In its report, the AIU claimed RusAF had "gone to great lengths to deny any involvement in the matter, blame others and attack the process".

The AIU recommended the suspension of the Authorised Neutral Athlete process is maintained until charges against RusAF are fully investigated.

In response to the AIU report, the Russian Sports Ministry suspended its recognition of RusAF for one month.

The Russian Sports Ministry claimed the RusAF had failed to initiate the "necessary measures for establishing constructive cooperation with the International Federation and for resolving the situation which has occurred".

Russian Sports Minister OIeg Matytsin, appointed to the position last month, told TASS the protection of the interests of clean athletes and ensuring their right to participate in international events as soon as possible should be the main priorities for the new RusAF President.