Russia ‘unlikely’ to return for the Olympics says Euro Athletics president

European Athletics president Svein Arne Hansen said Russia is likely to miss the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio because of its current suspension by the international governing body for athletics.

“For the moment they have to fulfil the conditions, but I cannot really see them competing in Rio,” Hansen told Athletics Weekly magazine on Tuesday.

RELATED: IAAF says Russian athletics must cut ties with staff with doping history.

The Russian Athletics Federation (RAF) is currently under suspension for being non-compliant with doping regulations. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) concluded that the country had been involved in nationwide doping.

Part two of the report, expected to have a ‘wow’ factor, is set to be released on Jan. 14, according to Reuters.

RELATED: Rio 2016 to have track laid at athletics stadium in February.

“We will have the first report to the IAAF in March but for the moment they have to really, really put a lot of effort in to compete in Rio,” said Hansen. “They must have a cultural change and they must get rid of all those people from before.”

Still, Hansen, who was elected president of European Athletics in April, thinks that Russia is doing their part to improve on past regulations.

“They are now working very, very hard to have this improved,” said Hansen. “They have been faced with very, very tough conditions but I think they want to play along.”

The IAAF Council will not be meeting again until the end of March less than five months before the Olympics begin in Brazil.