The world governing body of track and field the IAAF has confirmed it will rule next week on whether dozens of Russians can compete as “neutral athletes.”

The IAAF says it has received around 120 applications from Russian athletes who want to compete internationally despite a ban imposed in 2015 on the Russian team for widespread doping use.

IAAF officials have so far allowed 12 Russians to compete as neutrals but has refused the applications for 17 more.

The governing body’s doping review board is also expected to meet next week to consider approximately half of the remaining application.

The review process includes retesting, using new techniques, samples that athletes gave at earlier competitions, as well as checking allegations by World Anti-Doping Agency investigator Richard McLaren that athletes may have benefited from doping cover-ups at Moscow’s drug-testing laboratory.