In announcing the verdict, as reported by Russia's official state news agency TASS, the judge said: "The court leaves the verdict by the Zyuzino District Court unchanged and will not satisfy the defence's appeal."

Zyuzino District Court had ruled that the arrest term for the former head of the Moscow Anti-Doping Laboratory was two months from the moment of his extradition from the United States, where he is currently under a witness protection programme, or detention on the territory of the Russian Federation.

Rodchenkov was put on an international wanted list in September 2017 and may face up to 10 years in prison should he return to Russia.

The whistleblower's defence team had asked the Moscow City Court to annul the arrest in absentia verdict as their client had not been notified of the hearing.

Alexey Sklyarenko, a member of the defence team, said: "The prosecutor and the court withdrew from Rodchenkov’s notification, so he would be deprived of the possibility to be present at the session, which violated his right to defence."

In turn, the prosecutor stated that the evidence they had at their disposal proved Rodchenkov’s involvement in substance trafficking and therefore he asked for the court to uphold the ruling.

As well as his charge for illegal trafficking of potent and toxic substances, Rodchenkov is charged with abuse of power under Article 201 of the Russian Criminal Code.

Rodchenkov’s revelations of Russian state-sponsored doping in 2016 led to the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC).

It has led to the IOC ordering Russian athletes to compete as neutrals at the ongoing Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics.

Rodchenkov, who was recently called an "imbecile" by Russian President Vladimir Putin, spoke at the hearings of 43 banned Russian athletes during their appeals to the Court of Arbitration for Sport last month.

He had previously given evidence to the Montreal-based World Anti-Doping Agency and a Commission led by Canadian lawyer Richard McLaren.

His actions mean he is considered as a traitor in Russia, leading to him living in hiding in the US.