There had been hope that World Athletics may restore the Authorised Neutral Athletes (ANA) scheme, which allows Russian competitors who meet certain criteria to take part at elite events, prior to the Championships beginning on March 5.

But World Athletics has said it will not consider the status of the RusAF or the ANA initiative until its next meeting on March 17 and 18.

The Council will consider whether to allow Russian athletes to compete again as ANA in international competitions, including allowing up to 10 to participate in World Athletics Series events and the re-arranged Olympic Games in Tokyo at the meeting.

The organisation has given the RusAF, suspended since November 2015 because of the state-sponsored doping scandal, until March 1 to submit its reinstatement plan after the first version in September was deemed to be "deficient".

"A possible reinstatement of the Russian athletes' neutral status is highly likely to be viewed by World Athletics at its Council’s meeting on March 17-18, but not earlier," the RusAF said in a statement.

"Therefore, Russian athletes will be unable to compete at the European Athletics Indoor Championships."

The ANA scheme was frozen after former RusAF President Dmitry Shlyakhtin and other senior officials at the embattled organisation were charged with attempting to cover up a whereabouts violation by world indoor high jump champion Danil Lysenko.

Shlyakhtin and four other former RusAF officials were sanctioned by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) last week, with the full decision painting an extraordinary picture of the deception they carried out in an effort to prevent Lysenko from being suspended.

The disgraced former President and ex-RusAF Board member Artur Karamyan were banned for four years after being found guilty of tampering, complicity, failing to report an anti-doping rule violation and failing to cooperate with the AIU investigation.

The RusAF came close to being expelled permanently in September after the charges were brought against its former leadership.

World Athletics only decided not to expel the RusAF following the late intervention of Russia's Sports Minister Oleg Matytsin, who promised that the country was committed to solving a number of issues, including an "unconditional" promise to pay an outstanding fine of $6.31 million (£4.72 million/€5.21 million).

The RusAF was again forced to change its President earlier this month when Peter Ivanov stepped down because of World Anti-Doping Agency sanctions that prohibit Government officials from holding roles on sports bodies and organisations.

Sydney 2000 Olympic 400 metres hurdles gold medallist Irina Privalova was chosen to replace Ivanov, who expects to return once the sanctions expire in December 2022.

Privalova is the third RusAF President in less than a year.