According to Russia's official state news agency TASS, Natalia Yukhareva, the press officer of the ARAF, has said the IAAF have not come back to them with athletes seeking permission to compete in 2018 overseas events.

Among those to have submitted applications are 2015 and 2017 high jump world champion Maria Lasitskene, 2015 world 110 metres hurdle champion Sergei Shubenkov and high jumpers Danil Lysenko, a World Championship silver medallist, and London 2012 champion Ivan Ukhov.

The country has been suspended by the IAAF since November 2015 after the World Anti-Doping Agency's Independent Commission uncovered widespread doping offences.

The applications result from the IAAF's decision in December 2016 to allow Russian athletes, who meet the criteria of the organisation, to compete as neutral athletes at international competitions.

The deadline for the majority of applications for 2018 was December 31, 2017, except for long jumper Darya Klishina who has already been cleared to compete.

However, at the end of November, the IAAF decided to allow Russians with authorisation to submit simplified applications at a later date.

To date, 32 simplified applications and 28 routine applications have been submitted to the IAAF.

In response to the story, the IAAF told insidethegames: "This is an ongoing process having as a priority the athletes aiming to take part in the forthcoming competitions.

"The IAAF will only make announcements as and when decisions are made by the Doping Review Board concerning successful applications and those athletes have been duly informed."

Russia were forced to compete as "Authorised Neutral Athletes" at last year's World Championships in London.