RFU Presidential Election: Fursenko Made Official

Sergey Fursenko will serve as the RFU's president through 2014

In rather anticlimactic fashion, Sergey Fursenko was elected as the new president of the Russian Football Union on Wednesday.

The former Zenit St. Petersburg president was expected to succeed Vitaly Mutko ever since the Sports Minister resigned from his presidential post in November.

Once Fursenko’s only formidable opponent, Sergei Kapkov—close friend of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich—withdrew his name from contention, the election was a mere formality.

The final tally revealed that Fursenko received 95 of a possible 109 delegate votes.

Fursenko’s first decision in his new post will be deciding the fate of Russia national coach Guus Hiddink. Fursenko told reporters today that Hiddink “is arriving this afternoon in Moskva and we intend to meet tomorrow and we’ll talk over all the details.”

Fursenko’s appointment is for five years.