IAAF president Sebastian Coe has admitted that the allegations of widespread doping and cover-ups surrounding the Russian Athletics' Federation are "alarming".
A World Anti-Doping Agency commission has released a damning report, implicating the IAAF in alleged cover-ups.
The report has claimed that the London 2012 Olympics was "sabotaged" as cheating Russian athletes were allowed to compete.
The Russian government has also been accused of complicity in doping and cover-ups, while more than 1,400 samples were destroyed by a laboratory in Moscow.
The commission has called for Russia to be banned from all athletics competition, including next year's Olympics in Rio.
Coe said: "The information in WADA's independent commissions report is alarming. We need time to properly digest and understand the detailed findings included in the report.
"However, I have urged the council to start the process of considering sanctions against ARAF. This step has not been taken lightly. Our athletes, partners and fans have my total assurance that where there are failures in our governance or our anti-doping programmes we will fix them.
"We will do whatever it takes to protect the clean athletes and rebuild trust in our sport. The IAAF will continue to offer the police authorities our full co-operation into their ongoing investigation."
Interpol has confirmed that an investigation into widespread doping in athletics will be carried out as a result of the report.
