Russia claims the IAAF's decision to continue to ban its athletes is unfair and is threatening legal action, while the rest of the world is welcoming the move and urging the IOC not to go against it.

"We are extremely disappointed by the IAAF's decision, creating the unprecedented situation of a whole nation's track and field athletes being banned from the Olympics," said the Russian ministry of sport on Friday.

"We now appeal to the members of the International Olympic Committee to not only consider the impact that our athletes' exclusion will have on their dreams and the people of Russia, but also that the Olympics themselves will be diminished by their absence."

The IAAF voted unanimously to uphold its ban on Russia for systematic doping, saying the country had not made enough progress on reforms to dispel concerns of state-sponsored abuse.