Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko on Thursday (21st July) accused officials of the world's track and field governing body of lobbying for the ban of Russian athletes from competing in the upcoming Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

SOUNDBITE (Russian) Vitaly Mutko, Russian Sports Minister:

"I'm deeply indignant at the behaviour and the insistence of the IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations). I would like to stress that the IAAF was found guilty of corruption and its president was investigated and is now under house arrest in France. But people who created, led and covered the system of doping control are still working - deputy department director, (IAAF) President (Sebastian) Coe. With this decision against Russia, they are trying to deflect responsibility from themselves."

SOUNDBITE (Russian) Vitaly Mutko, Russian Sports Minister:

"If the (Russian) commission (formed to consider the report produced by World Anti-Doping Agency investigator Richard McLaren) presents a single fact proving my involvement in the system - I won't need anyone to tell me anything, as our president said, I'll be gone the next day."