Anikeeva (pictured top) is also the deputy chief executive officer of the VTB United League, which has been contested by leading basketball clubs from Eastern and Northern Europe since its foundation in 2008.

In June of this year, Andrei Krasnenkov, who was appointed to the top job in 2010, was forced to resign as President of the RBF following a series of fall-outs with members of the Executive Committee.

The disagreements centred on Krasnenkov's refusal to have a Russian basketball champion be crowned through the nine-country VTB United League rather than the Russian Professional Basketball League (RPBL), and his introduction of a fine for RPBL teams that break a six-man foreign player quota.

Anikeeva becomes the RBF's first female President in its 22-year history after receiving 97 votes, 34 more than nearest rival, former Women's National Basketball Association (WBNA) champion and Olympian Svetlana Abrosimova, while Sergei Ptashny garnered only two votes.

The main issue facing Anikeeva will be the situation surrounding the naming of a Russian champion through the VTB League, which ultimately led to the removal of Krasnenkov.

Should the VTB League get its way and be allowed to crown one of the nine Russian clubs that play in the league, as national champion, it may hasten the end of the ailing Russian Championship and would allow the VTB League to provide Euroleague qualification for the first time.

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