The RPC remains banned by the IPC as a result of the Russian doping scandal, although last month’s news that it had paid all expenses incurred in connection with its reinstatement process marked another step forward. 

Payment of all the expenses in relation to the issue was demanded by the IPC as a condition of the potential route back.

Russia's state news agency TASS reported that the RPC had stumped up €257,000 (£224,000/$292,000) in a bid to resolve the matter. 

Both the Russian Olympic Committee and Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) have already had their suspensions lifted by the International Olympic Committee and World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) respectively, but the IPC has taken a tougher stance throughout the country's drugs scandal.

IPC President Andrew Parsons has previously said that the RPC's status could be reviewed early this year.

Russia's Sports Minister Pavel Kolobkov, meanwhile, has stated his hope that the RPC will be reinstated this month, although the IPC has confirmed that an update on the situation will not be provided until February 8.

Parsons said half of the money had been paid in November, with the cash the last remaining criteria the RPC had to meet.

The RPC's chances of reinstatement will no doubt have been boosted by yesterday's announcement of the WADA Executive Committee's decision to not re-impose a suspension on RUSADA after they missed a deadline to provide access to data at Moscow Laboratory. 

The IPC Governing Board meeting, taking place at the Pestana Chelsea Bridge Hotel, will also see the approval of the final sports programme for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, as well as the medal events and athlete quotas for the Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympics.

An announcement regarding Paris 2024 is due to be made on Friday (January 25), while final details on Beijing 2022 are scheduled to be confirmed on Saturday (January 26).

The IPC announced in September that sailing had been unsuccessful with its bid to be reinstated onto the Paris 2024 programme after failing to meet the required criteria.

It also confirmed Para-bobsleigh would not make its Winter Paralympic debut at Beijing 2022 despite being provisionally approved by the organisation in September 2016.

Golf, karate, Para-dance sport and powerchair football also missed out on a place at Paris 2024 as the IPC confirmed the 22 sports on the Tokyo 2020 programme, along with cerebral palsy football, had been put forward to the next stage of the process.

This was because the five sports failed to meet the inclusion criteria "in a number of areas", the IPC said following a meeting of its Governing Board in Madrid.

Feedback has been given to all 23 successful sports and the IPC asked several of them for more information by December 3, prior to the upcoming announcement of the programme. 

Malaysia's staging of the 2019 World Para Swimming Championships will also be discussed by the IPC Governing Board with an update set to be given on Sunday (January 27).

Action Against Discrimination (AAD) has urged the IPC to change the hosts of the event with Malaysia refusing to allow Israeli athletes into the country. 

AAD's statement follows comments by the Malaysian Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad, who last week claimed there was "no place for Israeli athletes" at the competition.

Malaysia does not have diplomatic relations with Israel due to its pro-Palestine stance, and concerns were raised after the Israeli Paralympic Committee said it had not received assurances that its athletes would be able to compete.