The decision is the latest embarrassment for the Russian Paralympic Committee (RPC) ahead of its appeal against its ban from Rio 2016 for state-sponsored doping.

The appeal is due to be heard by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on Sunday (August 21) with a decision set to be announced by midnight CEST on Monday (August 22).

Lesnykh returned an adverse analytical finding for two substances - Ostarine and LGD-4033 - in a urine sample provided on March 18 after he had competed in the men’s shot put F37.

The two substances are included on the 2016 World Anti-Doping Agency prohibited list under the category "S1.2: Other Anabolic Agents" and are listed as selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs).

Both are prohibited both in and out of competition.

Lesnykh waived his right to a hearing and accepted all consequences, the IPC has said.

As a result of his violation, the 30-year-old will be ineligible from competition from April 14, 2016, the date he was notified, until April 13, 2020.

All Lesnykh’s results obtained from the date of the test and onwards will be disqualified including forfeiture of any medals, points, records and prizes.

The IPC opted to impose a blanket ban on Russia earlier this month following the release of Richard McLaren's report, which alleged the presence of a state-sponsored doping scheme in the country.

The Canadian lawyer revealed what he described as the "disappearing positive methodology" - where positive samples were switched for clean ones - in the explosive report.

A total of 35 "disappearing positives" were found in Paralympic sport, according to the report, although only 21 of these were within the IPC remit.

But since then, another 10 such cases have been brought to the attention of the governing body.

IPC President Sir Philip Craven described the anti-doping system in Russia as "broken, corrupted and entirely compromised", while accusing the Russian Government of "catastrophically failing" its Para-athletes.

The Briton also said the "medals over morals" attitude in the country "disgusts" him.

The IPC position - arrived at by a unanimous vote of its Board - contrasted starkly with that taken by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), of which Sir Philip is a member, as they opted to defer the decision over the extent of the participation of Russian athletes at the Rio 2016 Olympics to the International Federations (IFs). 

Their choice to impose a ban on the RPC, which came after suspension proceedings were opened in July, has been criticised by a number of organisations, such as the Association of National Olympic Committees, and IFs.

The differing stances of the IPC and IOC seems to have elevated tensions between the two governing bodies ahead of next month’s Paralympics, which remain under threat due to the dire economic problems in the city.

Vladimir Lukin, President of the RPC, wrote to IOC counterpart Thomas Bach earlier this month in a bid to help get the ban overturned.