Russian Sports Ministry "extremely disappointed" with IAAF decision to uphold ban

The Russian Sports Ministry has admitted that it is "extremely disappointed" by the IAAF's decision to uphold a ban on the nation's athletics stars.

After a meeting in Vienna on Friday, the International Association of Athletics' Federations unanimously decided not to lift the suspension.

The ban was provisionally implemented in November after the World Anti-Doping Agency released a report detailing allegations of a state-sponsored doping programme.

The IAAF's decision to keep the ban in place means that Russia's track and field stars will miss this summer's Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

It has been reported that Russia did not meet the criteria for readmission, but the Sports Ministry has claimed it did "everything possible" to do so.

A statement, published by The AP, read: "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 IOC will meet on Tuesday to discuss whether or not individual athletes should be given "justice".