Russia's Mutko steps down as head of World Cup organising committee

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Mutko, who was banned for life from the Olympics this month, on Wednesday stepped down from his post as head of Russia's World Cup Local Organising Committee, Russia's RIA agency quoted him as saying.

Alexei Sorokin, the committee's chief executive, will take on Mutko's responsibilities, another agency, TASS, cited Mutko as saying.

"He (Sorokin) will interact with FIFA. I will coordinate the work on the government side," Mutko told TASS.