Medvedev Wins: Russia's Olympic Chief Quits

Dmitry Medvedev promised heads would roll after Russia's lousy performance at the Vancouver Olympics, and the first has just done so: The head of the nation's Olympic Committee is resigning. Russia pulled in a paltry three gold medals and only 15 total, a pale showing compared with the Soviet Union's glory years. Adding to the pressure is that Russia hosts the next Winter Games, notes the New York Times.

Leonid D. Tyagachev "is prepared to heed the call of conscience or that feeling of guilt peculiar to the Russian person, even though the Olympic Committee does not answer directly for athletic results," said a not-quite-contrite statement from the Russian Olympic Committee. (More Russia stories.)