The Sochi 2014 Olympic construction chief Taimuraz Bolloyev resigned for health reasons, while the 40-year-old Sergei Gaplikov was appointed the new head on Monday, two weeks before athletes arrive for the first Olympic test events.

The first test events for the games is the lower-tier Europa Cup Alpine ski races, which were scheduled from Feb. 15 to 18 and Feb. 22 to 26 in the Krasnaya Polyana mountains.

Bolloyev was appointed in 2009 by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, whose backing for the games was a key factor in Sochi winning the bid.

Bolloyev was asked to supervise spending closely, but in November 2009 the prosecutor general accused Olimpstroy of misusing funds, unfair tenders and unjustifiably high labor costs.

Human rights activists have accused Sochi organizers of badly mistreating construction workers and said some went for long periods without pay.

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