Will Russia Compete At The Rio 2016 Olympics? Doping Ban For Track And Field Athletes Reportedly Upheld

UPDATE: 5 p.m. EDT -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has condemned the IAAF decision to uphold a ban on Russian track and field athletes, calling it unfair, the Associated Press reported.

Putin said the group's "collective" punishment is needlessly affecting athletes who did not engage in doping.

Original story:

A ban on Russian track and field athletes for state-sponsored doping is expected to be upheld by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), according to reports from British outlets the Guardian and the BBC. That means Russian athletes could miss August's Olympic Games in Rio.

Russia insisted it has reformed and made changes to fix its doping culture, but the IAAF apparently disagreed.

"The decision, expected to be confirmed following the conclusion of a meeting of the IAAF council this afternoon in Vienna, was not expected to be put to a vote because the Russians are not believed to have met the criteria for readmission laid down in November," wrote the Guardian on Friday.

The country was banned after a report commissioned by the World Anti-Doping Agency. Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko made an 11th hour plea with an open letter to officials Friday that appears to have fallen flat.

"We firmly believe that clean athletes should not be punished for the actions of others. Russia is doing everything possible to ensure our athletes are a part of clean and fair Olympic Games. In light of our efforts, I urge you to reconsider the ban on our athletes," Mutko wrote.

Russian athletes are now effectively banned from competing in August's Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, but that is subject to change. Athletes will almost assuredly appeal the decision.

Officials from the International Olympic Committee, sports federations, anti-doping agencies and governing bodies are expected to meet Tuesday to discuss "whether and if individual athletes should be given individual justice," the Guardian reported. Athletes who have never tested positive could also appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, an international fixture aimed at making decisions on such issues.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has insisted there was no state-backing cheating. "There isn't and cannot be any support on the government level of violations in sport, especially on the question of doping," he said to reporters in Saint Petersburg, Russia, ahead of the decision Friday.