Russian athletes continue training amid backdrop of doping crisis.

Despite the doping scandal engulfing Russia's athletes, it's business as usual at their training base in Sochi.

The IAAF is expected to rule on Friday whether to suspend Russia from competition following WADA's report intoalleged state-sponsored doping.

That could mean the country's athletes being banned from next year's Olympics.

But shot putter Maksim Sidorov is still hopeful of competing in Rio next year and and thinks that the sanctions levelled towards Russia are unduly harsh.

SOUNDBITE (Russian) Maksim Sidorov, Shot putter, Olympic team candidate:

"Regarding athletes who are doping and who are being disqualified... It doesn't just happen in our country, it happens all around the world. Why are these measures taken only for the Russian team? I don't understand. If it's proved that we are doping, then other countries do it as well. Why aren't they disqualified?"

Russian president Vladimir Putin has ordered Russian sports officials to carry out an internal investigation into the allegations made.

He also said athletes should be punished individually, rather than collectively.