The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has imposed a four-year ban on Russia using its flag, anthem and team names at Olympic and other major sports events.

WADA's Executive Committee (ExCo) took the decision in Lausanne, Switzerland on Monday after it concluded Moscow had tampered with laboratory data.

The tampering -- prior to and while the data was being forensically copied by WADA -- included planting fake evidence and deleting files linked to positive doping tests that could have helped identify drug cheats. System messages were also fabricated in an effort to hamper the work of WADA investigators.

The WADA ExCo's decision to punish Russia with a ban was unanimous, a spokesman for the agency said. The punishment, however, leaves the door open for clean Russian athletes to compete at major international sporting events without their flag or anthem, as was the case during the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang.

Among the major events included in the four-year period is the 2022 football World Cup in Qatar. ESPN has reached out to FIFA for clarification on Russia's participation in qualifying and the tournament itself.

The Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) has 21 days to appeal the sanctions, and if it does so, the case will be referred to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), WADA has said.

Russia, which has tried to showcase itself as a global sports power, has been embroiled in doping scandals since a 2015 report commissioned by WADA found evidence of mass doping in Russian athletics.

Its doping woes have grown since, with many of its athletes sidelined from the past two Olympics, and the country stripped of its flag altogether at last year's Winter Games as punishment for state-sponsored doping cover-ups at the 2014 Sochi Games.

Monday's sanctions had been recommended by WADA's compliance review committee in response to the doctored laboratory data provided by Moscow earlier this year.

One of the conditions for the reinstatement of RUSADA, which was suspended in 2015 in the wake of the athletics doping scandal but was reinstated last year, had been that Moscow provide an authentic copy of the laboratory data.

Sports Minister Pavel Kolobkov last month attributed the discrepancies in the laboratory data to technical issues.

The consequences of WADA's ruling dictate that no Russian government representatives may participate in or attend any Olympic or other sports event organised by a major event organisation over the four-year period. As such, Russian president Vladimir Putin will not be able to attend the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, nor the 2022 World Cup -- should the ban affect the tournament.

Further to this, Russia may not host any major event in the four-year period, and where the right to host such an event has already been awarded to Russia, that right must be withdrawn and re-assigned to another country as far as is legally or practically possible.

The 2020 European Championship football tournament, where Russia's Saint Petersburg Stadium is set to host several games, is not considered a 'major event' by WADA, therefore Russian participation and hosting will not be affected.

Russia may not bid for the right to host the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, irrespective of whether the bidding takes place during or after the four-year period.

Some Russian officials have branded the call for sanctions unfair and likened it to broader Western attempts to hold back the country.

But WADA President Sir Craig Reedie said: "The ExCo's strong decision today shows WADA's determination to act resolutely in the face of the Russian doping crisis.

"For too long, Russian doping has detracted from clean sport. The blatant breach by the Russian authorities of RUSADA's reinstatement conditions ... demanded a robust response. That is exactly what has been delivered today.

"Russia was afforded every opportunity to get its house in order and re-join the global anti-doping community for the good of its athletes and of the integrity of sport, but it chose instead to continue in its stance of deception and denial.

"As a result, the WADA ExCo has responded in the strongest possible terms, while protecting the rights of Russian athletes that can prove that they were not involved and did not benefit from these fraudulent acts."

Information from Reuters and the Associated Press contributed to this report.