RusAF, which is led by President Dmitry Shlyakhtin, intends to sanction athletes who have not returned Olympic medals ©Getty Images

The Russian Athletics Federation (RusAF) has confirmed that any athletes who have failed to return medals after being disqualified following the retesting of samples from the Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Olympic Games will not be selected for the national team.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said earlier this week that "a number" of Russian athletes have already returned their medals as requested.

However, several others have refused and RusAF, led by President Dmitry Shlyakhtin, has outlined its intentions to sanction them. 

"We are informing that if athletes and coaches, who are subjected to suspensions and provisional bans and failed to return Olympic medals, regalia and prize money to organisers of tournaments, will have no right of participating in athletic competitions of ARAF (All-Russia Athletics Federation) and will not be included in national pool lists as well as the national team," the body said in a statement. 

The measure is not expected to have an instant effect in the majority of cases because athletes disqualified are likely to be subject to two-year bans regardless.

But it could impact athletes from relay teams who tested clean and were disqualified as the result of a team-mate's failed test.

It recently emerged that Russian track and field athlete Anton Kokorin returned the 4x400 metres relay bronze medal he won at Beijing 2008.

He was obliged to do so after team-mate Denis Alexeev tested positive for the anabolic steroid turinabol.

Maksim Dyldin and Vladislav Frolov complete the four-man team and have also been ordered to return their medals.

It recently emerged that Russian track and field athlete Anton Kokorin returned the 4x400 metres relay bronze medal he won at Beijing 2008 ©Getty Images
It recently emerged that Russian track and field athlete Anton Kokorin returned the 4x400 metres relay bronze medal he won at Beijing 2008 ©Getty Images

The British quartet of Andrew Steele, Robert Tobin, Michael Bingham and Martyn Rooney were upgraded to bronze medal position following Russia’s disqualification.

Earlier this week, Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) President Alexander Zhukov admitted that "only a few" athletes from the scandal-hit nation had returned Olympic medals.

A total of 98 Olympians were found to have tested positive across both editions of the Games following the retests, 23 of which were medallists.

Thirteen Russian medallists have been implicated in the Beijing 2008 retests so far, with at least five athletes from the country recording retrospective positive tests from London 2012.

Further issues have arisen due to the fact that some of the athletes involved have retired.

This could cause additional friction between the ROC and the IOC.