Russian President Vladimir Putin said he would seek the intervention of the World Anti-Doping Agency and the International Olympic Committee over the decision to exclude Russian track and field athletes from the Rio Olympics.

Russian athletes' hopes of competing in the Rio Olympics are now in the hands of the IOC after world athletics' governing body unanimously upheld on Friday its ban on the country for systematic doping.

"Of course, it is unfair," Putin told editors from leading international news agencies at a supper on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

"Responsibility must be always personalized. If someone in your family has committed an offence is it fair to prosecute all the family members ... the people who have no relation to the violations - why should they suffer for others?"

He added that this does not fit into "any framework of a civilized behaviour" and that he hoped a solution would be found.

"I hope that we will discuss this further with our colleagues in the anti-doping structure and hope for an appropriate response from the International Olympic Committee."