Former New Zealand Olympian and Bay of Plenty heptathlete Sarah Cowley says she doubts she has ever taken part in an international meet where doping wasn't a factor.

The Rotorua-born athlete's comments come after Russia's participation in track and field events at next year's Olympic Games was thrown into doubt following a report which accused their athletes of widespread, state-supported doping.

Sarah Cowley in action for New Zealand at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Photo: stuff.co.nz

One of those athletes is 2012 Olympic heptathlon bronze medallist Tatyana Chernova.

'I've competed against that particular medallist since 2007,” Sarah says.

'And when she was a junior, she was doing outrageous things.

'I remember lining up at the Olympics and the girl next to me was grunting and overtly aggressive in her behaviour towards officials, towards athletes and the way that she approached the competition.

'When you look at their face structure, when you look at other cues such as acne, when you look at their past history of drug use, it's obvious."

Earlier this week a commission set up by the World Anti-Doping Agency found widespread corruption and collusion by Russian officials, including state security services, to cover up results of drug tests, destroy samples and intimidate laboratory staff.

They also identified 'systematic failures” by the IAAF governing body, already rocked by a probe from the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Former IAAF president Lamine Diack has been provisionally suspended and the ruling body of athletics are being urged to open disciplinary procedures against those found to have violated doping rules.

The IOC says competitors, coaches or officials mentioned in the report on Monday who were proven to have violated doping regulations would be punished and stripped of any medals.

'The IOC has asked the IAAF to initiate disciplinary procedures against all athletes, coaches and officials who have participated in the Olympic Games and are accused of doping in the report of the independent commission,” it says in a statement.

'With its zero-tolerance policy against doping, following the conclusion of this procedure, the IOC will take all the necessary measures and sanctions with regard to the withdrawal and re-allocation of medals and, as the case may be, exclusion of coaches and officials from future Olympic Games.”

Several Russian athletes are mentioned in the report, but the true extent of the doping affair, and which sports have been affected, has yet to be established.

Additional reporting: stuff.co.nz