LONDON -- IAAF leaders are set to suspend the Russian federation on Friday, keeping the country's track and field athletes out of international competition for an indefinite period that could include next year's Olympics in Brazil.
IAAF president Sebastian Coe is convening an emergency meeting of his 27-member council via teleconference Friday to vote on a provisional suspension of Russia after the damning allegations of systematic, state-sponsored doping contained in a report by a World Anti-Doping Agency commission.
Under heavy pressure to take tough action, Coe is expected to secure approval from the council for the maximum sanction, despite efforts by Russian officials to avoid a blanket ban by agreeing to cooperate and make reforms in their anti-doping system.
On Friday, a WADA committee found Russia's anti-doping operation noncompliant with its code and concluded that the track team might not be the only Russian squad with issues.
WADA's compliance review committee looked at the report issued by a WADA-appointed independent panel earlier this week and gave the Russian agency, known as RUSADA, a chance to respond.
Text from the summary of the decision was provided to The Associated Press by a person with access to the findings, who was not authorized to speak publicly about them.
The committee's findings will go to the WADA foundation board, which will vote on it at its meeting Wednesday.
If RUSADA is declared noncompliant by the full board, it could, among other things, cost Russia the chance to host international events. The country is set to host next year's world junior track championships and world race walking championships.
The compliance committee noted that RUSADA had acknowledged some of the breaches and "expressed full openness and willingness to work with WADA to address" them.
But, the committee said, RUSADA did not provide it with assurances that the alleged breaches do not exist or are being fixed.
WADA has already suspended the anti-doping laboratory in Moscow. That decision will be reviewed next week as well.
An IAAF statement listed the main agenda item of its meeting: "Decision to provisionally suspend the All-Russia Athletic Federation (ARAF) as an IAAF member."
A suspension would take effect immediately, barring Russian athletes from all international track and field events until the country can prove it has put its house in order. It would be the first time the International Association of Athletics Federations has ever banned a country over its doping record.
The Russian federation is likely to be given a month or so before appearing at a disciplinary hearing, at which the IAAF could then elevate the sanction to a full suspension.
The IAAF and WADA would need to set out the terms for what the Russians need to do to get a suspension lifted, including complying fully with the global anti-doping code.
With the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro nine months away, the big question is whether Russia's track team will be allowed to compete in the Games. Some Olympic officials have said Russia should have enough time to take the necessary steps to make it to the Olympics, which run from Aug. 5 to Aug. 21.
Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko said Friday he is "completely sure" that Russia will be able to compete at the Olympics.
In the short term, a suspension would keep Russians out of a dozen or so international events the rest of this year, including the European cross-country championships in France on Dec. 13. The athletes could then miss the indoor season, including the world indoor championships in Portland, Oregon, from March 17 to 20.
Other big events that Russian runners could be ineligible for include the Boston and London marathons in April.
Russian athletes would be eligible to compete in their own national events during a ban, which covers international competition only.
Some officials, including IAAF vice president Sergei Bubka, the pole vault great from Ukraine, have argued against a blanket ban, saying it would penalize "innocent" athletes who haven't been found guilty or implicated in doping.
However, the report by the WADA panel outlined a deep-rooted, systematic doping system that cast doubt on the entire Russian athletics program, making it difficult to judge which athletes are clean or not.
Russia's IAAF council member, Mikhail Butov, was to present his federation's position at the start of the meeting then recuse himself from the debate and vote.
A simple majority was required for the suspension resolution to pass. Coe would cast a vote in the case of a tie only.
Russia's initial reaction to Monday's doping report was one of indignation and that the allegations were politically motivated. However, in recent days, the tone shifted as President Vladimir Putin acknowledged the gravity of the problem and ordered an investigation by Russian sports leaders.
"We're prepared for broad cooperation," Mutko told R-Sport news agency Friday.
Mutko said he has asked WADA president Craig Reedie to provide a "road map" that Russia could follow.