Canada's former Olympic speed skater Guy Thibault has become a consultant for the Russian national short track team, officials said Tuesday.
Thibault, who competed at two Winter Games before becoming a performance director with the U.S. team, has joined an advisor, with a view to possibly becoming Russia's head coach.
"He is analyzing training plans and the results of our skaters at competitions, and gives advice on the training process," Alexei Kravtsov, head of the Russian Skating Union, said in website comments.
"After this season we plan on strengthening our coaching staff with another two foreign coaches. It's possible that we'll offer the candidature of a foreign specialist to the post of head coach of the Russian short track team to the Russian sports ministry."
Thibault, 47, skated at the 1988 Games in Calgary, the 1992 Games in Albertville, France, with a best result of seventh place in the final standings in the 500 meters and 1,000 meters.
He became a performance director with U.S. speed skating and has also worked in with Germany's top skaters.
The skating union in October fired the Russian national team coach Jang Kwon-ok over alleged secretive and cruel training methods that it said risked the health of the country's top skaters.
The announcement of Thibault's appointment comes on the eve of the fifth stage of the short track World Cup, in Moscow.
Former Korean three-time Olympic gold medalist Ahn Hyun-Soo is expected to make his international debut for Russia in the February 3-5 event since switching citizenship late last year.
He will compete as Viktor Ahn, after choosing the Russian first name for its triumphant meaning.
