Russian athletes were responsible for 21 of the rule violations, the most of any country, while weightlifting was the sport accounting for the most positive re-tests with 36.

A further 28 came from athletics.

No other sport was responsible for more than three.

Russia lost 13 medals through the process, including 10 silver.

Belarusian athletes were found to have committed 11 anti-doping rule violations, Ukrainians seven and Kazakhstanis six.

Kazakhstan also lost the most gold medals, four.

Of the eight total gold medals removed, five were in weightlifting.

"The result of this re-analysis program clearly shows that in the fight against doping every available means must be used to protect fairness and athletes," ITA director general Benjamin Cohen said.

"Sometimes, time is one such tool that allows science and approaches to anti-doping to evolve to the point where new detection methods can be applied to samples taken many years ago. 

"That is why the ITA is committed to smart, comprehensive approaches to clean sport. 

"Cheaters should never feel safe, not now, not tomorrow, not in 10 years. 

"We will constantly continue to improve our ability to tackle doping from any possible angle, this is the ITA’s determination and mission. 

"Through this work, the ITA and the IOC are working hand in hand to instil the trust in fair play of athletes who were directly affected by doping competitors and only received recognition of their rightful results years later."

The ITA said 2,727 samples were re-analysed as part of its London 2012 investigation.

Risk criteria were used to determine which samples to re-test, with new detection methods able to be applied.