Russia makes doping reforms in order to have athletics team in Rio

Russia has announced reforms it hopes will repair the credibility of its anti-doping body and allow its athletics team to compete at the Rio Olympics.

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.

All Russian track and field athletes intending to compete in Rio in August will have to undergo a minimum of three independent, externally administered anti-doping controls before the Olympic Games, the Russian ministry of sport announced on Wednesday.

These controls will be carried out by the IAAF and be in addition to existing anti-doping procedures.

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."