Russian athletes are waiting to find out whether their track and field team will be allowed to compete at this year's Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. The International Association of Athletics Federations will decide in Vienna later today whether to maintain or lift its ban on Russia's track federation.  

A World Anti-Doping Agency report alleged widespread state-sponsored doping in track and field and the Russian government has admitted failings by its athletes and sports officials. But it continues to deny there has been any state backing for dopers. Some people in Russia say their athletes are being targeted unfairly.

"I really can't understand why they're saying all this, because they knew that mildronate (meldonium) was a drug that rebuilds the fibres of a heart. There's nothing bad in it. I don't think of it as doping. For many years all sports people, including wrestlers, swimmers, everyone, athletes, they all have been using meldonium. I don't know, I think they just simply want to get rid of strong competitors," said wrestler Murphan Mamedov.

"Many drugs, which have been used since the USSR, have been used as stimulant drugs. And even now, the coaches who used these drugs before, are still using them and of course it is difficult for them to change anything. In this case they would have to change their whole system of preparation. Something that wasn't considered as doping before, is now," said Pyotr Shadrin, commentator of Kommersant FM Sports.

Even if the IAAF decides against a full reinstatement of the Russians, there could be pressure to find a way for individual athletes who have not been implicated in doping to be allowed to compete in Rio in August. And Friday's ruling may not be the end of the story. The International Olympic Committee has called a summit of sports leaders next Tuesday to consider the IAAF ruling, and a blanket ban on Russians athletes for Rio is likely to lead to appeals and court challenges.