It came on a busy day for Kolobkov which also saw him meet with representatives from the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

It is likely that the two major issues discussed with WADA concerned the two as-of-yet unfulfilled criteria necessary for the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) to be declared re-compliant with their rules.

These concern access to the Moscow Laboratory and their acceptance of the findings of the McLaren Report, which says that an institutional doping scheme was in operation at events including the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games.

"We met and made some progress," Sir Craig told insidethegames without elaborating after the meeting today.

insidethegames understands, though, that deadlock remains as neither side is budging on these points.

Sir Craig said yesterday here at the WADA Symposium that four requests to jointly inspect the Moscow Laboratory in conjunction with officials from a Russian Investigatory Committee had been ignored.

Russian figures have claimed they are unable to provide access as a "criminal investigation" is ongoing there, but this has been dismissed internationally as an excuse.

WADA are keen to access physical records - if they still exist - as well as the electronic Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) database.

They have already obtained these latter records via a whistleblower, but are keen to receive them officially to avoid Russian figures being able to deny the authenticity of the information they currently have.

It is likely that Russian authorities are reluctant to do this because WADA would be able to compare the two copies and identify any gaps or alterations.

RUSADA director general Yury Ganus repeatedly insisted here that these two issues were out of his control.

He also claimed it was "not a question for our Minister of Sport" but for the Investigatory Committee which reports to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

It is not clear what "criminal investigation" is being impeded, though, as this panel concluded in November that no institutional doping problems existed and that ex-Moscow Laboratory head turned whistleblower Grigory Rodchenkov was to blame.

Kolobkov, an Olympic fencing champion at Sydney 2000, also met with an IAAF panel alongside Russian Athletics Federation (RusAF) President Dmitry Shlyakhtin earlier today with the country still suspended from track and field.

He admitted that they still have a "different approach to certain positions" and that "not all the issues are settled".

"We also discussed everything that concerns McLaren's Report, and we said on many occasions that Russia had problems with doping, as in other countries, but there was never a state system for supporting doping," he is quoted as saying by Sport Express, who cite the RusAF press service.

"There were no goals to achieve results by any illegal means, the key topics of our discussion.

"I believe we are moving towards understanding and will be heard by each other."

Shlyakhtin reportedly added that they will now update the IAAF Task Force chaired by Rune Anderson "on a monthly basis."