Serious fault lines are appearing in the relationships between three of the most powerful groups in world sport, only days before the start of the Rio Olympic games.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and two of its main stakeholders, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) have disagreed over the community's response to the Russian doping scandal.

ASOIF, an umbrella group representing summer Olympic sports, has described WADA's fight against doping as "woefully inadequate".

The accusation is sure to inflame already tense relationships as the fallout from the Russian doping scandal continues.

NewsRadio program The Ticket has seen correspondence between ASOIF and WADA sent in the hours before the IOC decided against imposing a blanket ban on the entire Russian team.

The IOC opted instead to put the responsibility into the hands of the individual sports to determine whether Russian athletes could compete.

That decision is expected to increase the flurry of last minute appeals to the Court of Arbitration for Sport even as athletes gather in Rio for Friday's Opening Ceremony.

ASOIF calls for 'more robust' anti doping system

In a letter addressed to WADA president Sir Craig Reedie and director general Olivier Niggli, ASOIF president Francesco Ricci Bitti said:

"The fight against doping in sport seems woefully inadequate and the current system is unfit for purpose — an unfortunate situation for which WADA, as the primary agency in this respect, must accept a major part of the responsibility".

The letter went on to call for a complete review of the anti-doping model and for "a more robust system".

In response, Sir Craig said the claims are "very aggressive towards WADA," and suggested anti-doping had always been conducted in agreement with the sports.

Mr Ricci Bitti is also a WADA Foundation Board member and is chair of its finance committee.

Both letters were copied to IOC president Thomas Bach, who oversees an Olympic organisation with blurred lines of responsibility leading to perceptions of conflict of interest.

WADA is 50 per cent funded by the IOC, its president is an IOC vice president, and half the Foundation Board members are made up of IOC members and sports representatives.

In his letter to the WADA president, Mr Ricci Bitti also stated the international federations "did not take kindly" to WADA issuing a statement on the eve of the IOC executive board meeting urging a hard line against Russia.

"We further regret, what many within the IFs' family regard as an interference, yesterday's media statement of WADA asking again the IOC and the IFs to 'consider their responsibilities' as they debate what are challenging steps and actions in eliminating cheats from the Rio Games."

Stepanova ban borders on illegal: litigator

President of the Australian Olympic Committee and IOC vice president John Coates has been credited with playing a leading role in the IOC's decision to ban any Russian athlete who had ever tested positive, regardless of whether they had already served their suspension.

The move has been criticised around the world for punishing Yulia Stepanova, the athlete who exposed the state-sanctioned doping.

The Russian 800-metre runner was told she cannot compete in Rio while a number of other athletes — such as American sprinters Tyson Gay and Justin Gatlin — can, despite having served previous drug bans.

Stepanova has asked again for the IOC to reassess her exclusion from the Rio Games, only for the IOC to reject any review of her case.

American track and field whistleblower Steve Magness said it sent an entirely wrong message.

"It sends this message that they don't care about clean sport and fair competition, and that what they're mainly concerned about is keeping the political status quo in keeping the money coming in versus keeping a fair playing field," he said.

"I think that's a horribly saddening message to send to the world."

London based anti-doping litigator Gregory Ioannidis said the decision bordered on illegal.

"I have to say, looking at the precedent we currently have in front of us, the IOC's decision is something that could perhaps turn out to be some sort of an illegal action," he said on the The Ticket.

"The latest series of decisions by major sporting governing bodies tend to actually embarrass not only themselves but also destroy the image of sport as well.

"The only solution, and its only my personal opinion, is for us to take the power away from self-regulation.

"So far it's proven to be extremely ineffective. There's a certain degree of a lack of transparency, and in my view the only thing that will work is some sort of external regulation, some sort of international legislation that will create certainty and consistency in the area of anti-doping litigation."