Russian athletes' fate to be decided by IAAF on June 17

The decision on whether Russian athletes can compete at the Rio Olympics is likely to be made at the IAAF council meeting in Vienna on June 17.

Russia was suspended by the IAAF, athletics' world governing body, in November after being accused of "state sponsored" doping in a report commissioned by the World Anti-Doping Agency.

The country announced reforms on Wednesday that it hopes will repair the credibility of its anti-doping operation, with all track and field athletes expected to undergo a minimum of three independent, externally administered anti-doping controls before the Olympic Games.

Two independent international experts, nominated by WADA, will be based full-time in Moscow from the end of April.

They will have "full and free" access for as long as necessary "to ensure the Russian anti-doping system is free of undue interference and is fully independent," the ministry of sport said.

Russia's minister of sport Vitaly Mutko said: "We believe that sport must be clean and fair at all levels, from grassroots through to elite.

"We are 100 per cent supportive of WADA's efforts, alongside the International Olympic Committee and IAAF and other organisations, to stamp out cheating.

"Clean athletes' dreams must not be allowed to be destroyed because of other people's mistakes. This is an important step in our journey."

The Olympic athletics programme begins on August 12 and if the Council does readmit Russia to the sport, most of its athletes would likely have only a matter of weeks to achieve the qualifying marks required for participation.

Meanwhile, WADA has suspended the accreditation of the National Anti-Doping Laboratory in Beijing, China for four months. 

The statement said: "During the period of suspension, the laboratory is required to take five remedial steps highlighted by the disciplinary committee in its recommendation.

"If the Beijing laboratory satisfies the disciplinary committee in meeting these requirements, the laboratory may apply for reinstatement prior to the expiry of the four month suspension period."

Earlier this month, WADA revoked the accreditation of Moscow's anti-doping laboratory, which was suspended in November after a WADA independent commission report alleged state-sponsored doping and cover-ups in Russia.