In the wake of McLaren's report, some key figures in Russian sport have claimed the findings are politically motivated. With the entire contingent from Russia now facing an Olympic ban, an alternative view on WADA's motives has been put forward in which the athletes say their nation is the victim.

"I can say for sure foreign sportsmen are afraid of Russians who have been preparing for this Olympics. And of course they don't want to give away medals, if that can't beat us through competition then they use politics," 2010 biathlon gold medalist Yuvgeny Ustyugov said.

"It turns out you can damage some samples, preserve them for two and a half years and after two and a half years say they were damaged. So for two and a half years sportsmen were living knowing that they are Olympic champions and so did the whole country but WADA did nothing then and they knew it wasn't right," 2006 speed skating gold medalist Svetlana Zhurova said.

"Will there be fair competition in Rio? That's my question now. I have a feeling they will do everything to make our country kneel down, but that's not going to happen," Two-time Olympic bobsleigh champion Alexei Voyevoda said.