Papa Massata Diack, the son of the IAAF President Lamine Diack, has also taken temporary leave, and reports indicate the same action has been taken by Habib Cisse, an IAAF legal adviser.

Balakhnichev, 65, claimed in a letter sent to Lamine Diack and other senior officials from athletics' world governing body - and seen by insidethegames - that he had "been subject to violent and biaised, though totally groundless attacks".

He acknowledged that they "have certainly been a great source of unease and concern among the members of the IAAF Council in which I belong".

Balakhnichev, President of the VLFA since 1991, added: "Owing to the fact that I have always intended my presence at your side to be an asset for the world athletics family as a whole and not a burden, I do not want in the least, what I consider a well-orchestrated plot against me, to be a liability for any one of you and even less, for the institution we have all vowed to serve as a united team.

"I have therefore voluntarily decided to ask our President to kindly accept, that I momentarily abstain from exercising my duties as IAAF treasurer and council member and of course from attending to any of the duties for which I was elected until this controversy is brought to a close.

"It goes without saying that I intend to use this period and my provisional leave to exercise my full rights without jeopardising the stability or the credibility of the IAAF Council to which I have always been totally committed."

A copy of the letter sent by Russian Athletics Federation Valentin Balakhnichev informing IAAF President Lamine Diack that he would step down temporarily as treasurer of the world governing body ©ITG

In a statement, the IAAF said: "The IAAF appreciates the gesture of Council Member Valentin Balakhnichev, who has been the subject of recent media allegations, who has voluntarily decided to cease exercising his duties as IAAF Treasurer and Council Member until the independent IAAF Ethics Commission's on-going investigation has concluded.

"IAAF Marketing Consultant Papa Massata Diack has also written to the IAAF confirming that he will suspend his activities on behalf of the IAAF until the commission has delivered its final report."

Balakhnichev, the IAAF treasurer, told the Tass news agency that he planned to return at "the end of the investigation into this doping scandal."

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has also confirmed it will investigate claims investigative journalist Hajo Seppelt in a documentary aired by German broadcaster ARD which alleged Russian officials systematically accepted payment from athletes to supply banned substances and cover up tests.

David Howman, general director of the WADA, described the allegations compiled in the documentary as "shocking".

IAAF President Lamine Diack (right) had promised that he would "deal" with Valentin Balakhnichev (left), who is at the centre of doping allegations ©Getty Images