Russian Anti-Doping Agency director Yuriy Ganus has said he has "no optimism" about the potential reinstatement of the organisation ©Getty Images

Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) director general Yuriy Ganus has said he has "no optimism" about the potential reinstatement of the organisation.

The body has been non-compliant with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) since 2015 when allegations of state sponsored doping in the country first emerged.

WADA's Executive Board will gather for a key meeting in the Seychelles on September 20 but Ganus said he does not expect RUSADA to be allowed back.

"I don't have any optimism unfortunately," he said at a press conference in Moscow today, as reported by Reuters.

"The outlook is negative".

Russia has been accused of the systematic manipulation of the doping system at their home Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) forcing them to compete under a neutral flag at Pyeongchang 2018 in February. 

The country remains suspended by the International Association of Athletics Federations and the International Paralympic Committee, but the IOC's ban on the Russian Olympic Committee was lifted immediately after Pyeongchang.

This was despite two Russians failing drug tests at the South Korean Games.

The World Anti-Doping Agency made Russian non-compliant in 2015 ©Getty Images
The World Anti-Doping Agency made Russian non-compliant in 2015 ©Getty Images

Figures from within sport are keen to allow Russia back into the fold despite two outstanding criteria on WADA's roadmap for RUSADA's re-acceptance not being met. 

These are an acceptance of the McLaren Report, which outlined much of the evidence against Russia, and full access to the Moscow Laboratory.

No side has backed down so far with the situation in a state of deadlock.

"No-one is going to take away the McLaren reports," Ganus added, while suggesting that the country may only need to accept the IOC's Schmid Report, seen as having a softer stance on the crisis.

"They will stay there as long as we don't deal with them. 

"They will always be in the focus of attention."

Ganus added that Russia was now collecting more doping samples, with more than 7,000 gathered so far in 2018.

This is over 800 more than the entirety of last year.

The director general claimed to be a Russian "patriot" but was still critical of those in his country who have been resistance to change.

"Why are we silent?" he said.

"We were given negotiating conditions, and we answer 'we do not want to talk with you'. 

"How should we be perceived after this?"