Russia could be banned from the Olympics next year after fresh doping allegations implicating top athletics officials.

It is alleged they oversaw the cover-up of a doping offence by the world indoor high jump champion who was tipped to win gold at Tokyo 2020 but now faces a ban of up to 10 years.

The shocking incident has sparked an investigation and it comes after a spate of alleged Russian doping which saw the country's athletes banned from participating in international competitions.

Vladimir Putin's bid to return Russia's athletes to the world stage has taken a blow with fresh doping allegations

The revelations will come as a blow to Vladimir Putin who was hoping to convince the world Russian athletes are clean and ready for competitions.

Danil Lysenko, the champion high jumper who is the subject of the allegations, was helped by officials from the Russian Athletics Federation to avoid a ban, according to The Sunday Times.

He had reportedly failed to inform drug testers about his whereabouts last year.

According to the source, documents forged by fake doctors were fabricated to show Lysenko was too unwell to be able to provide his location.

The athlete was banned in August last year but now the bogus documents show how the officials were involved in his cover-up.

Danil Lysenko was tipped for gold at Tokyo 2020 but he failed to inform drug testers about his whereabouts

An investigation by the Athletics Integrity Unit found the address used by the alleged doctors was actually a building site.

The watchdog has seized computers and electronic equipment at the Russian federation's headquarters.

The president of the federation, Dmitry Shlyakhtin, has been questioned about the fake documents.

A source has revealed if the investigation proves the allegations of forgery, it is certain Russia will be banned from Tokyo 2020.

Danil Lysenko Athletics at the IAAF Diamond League Meeting, Lausanne, France - 05 Jul 2018

Russia has had 41 Olympic medals stripped for doping violations – the most of any country in the world.

A two-part report in 2016 proved damning for Russian sports and culminated in the Russian Olympic Committee being suspended from PyeongChang 2018.

The McLaren Report, an independent report by Canadian lawyer Richard and McLaren commissioned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) was released in July 2016 with a second part coming later that year.

Investigations into Russian athletes culminated in athletes, even if they were clean, competing with the 'Olympic Athlete from Russia' logo and no Russian colours

Danil Lysenko of the Authorised Neutral Athletes celebrates winning the Gold Medal during the Men's High Jump at the IAAF World Indoor Championships day one at the National Indoor Arena, Birmingham

The second part triggered International Olympic Committee (IOC) investigations into Russian athletes and culminated in athletes, even if they were clean, to compete with the 'Olympic Athlete from Russia' logo.

The logo represented a ban on competing with the Russian flag or under the auspices of the Russian nation.

The Olympic anthem was used in place of the Russian one for winning athletes. A total of 169 athletes were invited to compete under the OAR banner.

Under the neutral flag, Lysenko - who is feted by Putin - won silver medal in the 2017 World Championships in London and went on to win the world indoor high jump title in Birmingham last year.

Three Russian high jumpers who won medals at the London 2012 Olympics have been banned after testing positive for steroids.

The Russian athletics federation denies the allegations and says they are part of a smear ahead of the IAAF council meeting to decide Russia's fate.