The Russian Weightlifting Federation (RWF) has made a number of reforms, including the suspension and investigation of many leading coaches.

Maxim Agapitov, the former world champion, who became President of the RWF last November, says the new anti-doping programme is "an example others could follow".

"We hope the suspension will be overturned by the IWF," he said.

Agapitov is trying to change the culture of Russian weightlifting after a series of damning revelations that made 2016 arguably, the worst year on record for Olympic weightlifting, and for Russia in particular. 

He said Russia had a greater responsibility than other nations but that doping was "not just a problem of Russia but a problem for the sport".

Half of the 98 doping positives in retesting of samples from the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games were provided by weightlifters. 

Last December Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee, said the retesting "raises concerns with some countries, in particular Russia, and with regard to some sports, in particular weightlifting".

Russian weightlifters were banned from Rio 2016 by the IWF for bringing the sport into disrepute. 

After revelations in the McLaren Report into institutionalised doping in Russian sport, the IWF stated last July that: "The integrity of the sport has been seriously damaged on multiple times and levels by the Russians."

Apart from the Olympic ban, Russia is one of nine nations due to be suspended for a year when the IOC-led retesting process is complete. 

One of the 49 doping cases is still being dealt with by the IOC, and the Court of Arbitration for Sport has yet to announce the result of two appeals against the one-year bans, by Kazakhstan and Belarus.

The one-year bans will apply to all nations who had three or more positives in the retests.

These nations are Russia and Kazakhstan with 10 retests each, Belarus seven, Azerbaijan five, Armenia four and Turkey, Ukraine, China and Moldova three each. 

Georgia, with one, is the only nation to escape suspension among those who had lifters test positive.

Because of the damage to weightlifting’s reputation, there has been talk of the sport’s place on the Olympic schedule being under threat. 

The IOC  are due to discuss their sporting programme in September. 

One leading figure within weightlifting said: "We are on the ropes."

The IWF will not comment on Russia’s plea until CAS has announced the result of those appeals by Kazakhstan and Belarus.

Attila Adamfi, director general of the IWF, said: "We learned from this situation that we have to make tougher sanctions, and the IWF anti-doping policy is under review. We want to create a stricter policy.

"These countries have to understand that if they continue like this they will be suspended, they will be expelled."

New sanctions would hopefully be in place by the end of April, said Adamfi. 

The IWF is registered in Switzerland and must seek approval for changes from Swiss lawyers. 

The subject will be discussed by the  Executive Board of the IWF when they are due to next meet in Thailand on April 1 and 2.

Agapitov has asked for permission to attend that meeting.

He said: "I have asked to speak about the suspension at the IWF Executive Committee (sic).

"We hope that the IWF takes into account the changes we have instituted and the progress we have made, and that it also takes into account that we have already been penalised, severely, by being banned from the Rio Olympics.

"We have spoken to major federations about their support for our participation."

Russia, like Kazakhstan and Belarus, had originally contested its one-year ban but later withdrew its appeal to CAS. 

Instead of arguing over past misdeeds, Agapitov, who aims to make his case to the IWF instead, said they have "used this as an opportunity to learn, to grow and to make changes for the better".

Kazakhstan has the worst doping record in weightlifting since 2012 with 23 lifters banned and 10 more caught in the retests, but has not announced any findings from an internal inquiry held six months ago.

The Kazakhstan Olympic Committee did not respond to questions about the inquiry.

Russia has taken action, appointing new head coaches for the men’s and women’s national teams. 

Coaches who worked with the 30 Russian dopers sanctioned since 2008, including the 10 caught in the retests, were suspended "pending further investigation".

A "Science Committee" was created to investigate how teams prepared for competitions in the past. 

The Committee will "create, if necessary, new methods", according to Agapitov. 

All lifters must pass an exam on anti-doping and failure to do so will exclude them from international competition.

Agapitov was a world champion in 1997 when he was promoted from third place because of doping by the two athletes who finished ahead of him. 

He had been banned for two years in 1994 after testing positive.

He said: "I don’t know how it happened. 

"There were some political games going on at the time, and it’s still a secret to me.

"Russian weightlifters’ lack of knowledge about banned substances and anti-doping regulations has been a huge problem.

"The most important thing is education. 

"We are developing programmes and seminars for coaches that will cover training techniques and methods, and also permitted substances and recovery methods. 

"In 2016 and, to date, in 2017 there were no doping violations by members of the Russian national team.

"Russia loves weightlifting and wants it to be fair for everyone. 

"We are making good progress, and setting an example others could follow. 

"We need a level playing field for all weightlifters from all countries."

That last comment has been made by others in the sport for years.

In the past 10 years, more than half of all positives in the sport have been from former Soviet Bloc countries.

Paul Coffa, head of the Oceania Federation who has been involved in weightlifting for more than 50 years, called the former Soviet Bloc "the Doping Bloc" last year.

He said: "We know that this cheating has been going on for years and years. 

"Like cockroaches you see one or two on top of the carpet, but you can guarantee that when you lift that carpet there are hundreds of them."