Georgia Rugby Captain Banned 11 Years in Major Doping Scandal
Former Georgia rugby captain Merab Sharikadze received an 11-year ban following "Operation Obsidian," a joint World Rugby and WADA investigation. The probe uncovered a systematic scheme where six players and team doctor Nutsa Shamatava substituted urine samples to conceal recreational drug use, not performance enhancers. Sharikadze provided clean samples to teammates, while the doctor leaked test schedules. Other players received bans ranging from nine months to six years. The Georgia Rugby Union accepted misconduct charges, facing fines and mandatory reforms, marking a significant integrity crisis for the national team.
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Six Georgia Rugby Players Banned in Major Urine-Swapping Doping Scandal
World Rugby has imposed significant bans on six Georgian rugby players and a team doctor following an extensive investigation into a urine-swapping scheme designed to cheat anti-doping tests. Described as the most comprehensive anti-doping probe in rugby history, the scandal emerged prior to the 2023 Men's Rugby World Cup in France. Former captain Merab Sharikadze received the harshest penalty, an 11-year ban, while Giorgi Chkoidze was suspended for six years. Other players, including Lasha Khmaladze, Otar Lashkhi, and Miriani Modebadze, received three-year bans, and Lasha Lomidze was banned for nine months. Team doctor Nutsa Shamatava was banned for nine years for alerting players to upcoming out-of-competition controls. Investigations revealed no evidence of performance-enhancing drug use; instead, players attempted to conceal cannabis and tramadol usage. The Georgia Rugby Union accepted misconduct charges, agreeing to financial penalties and implementing strict anti-doping reforms. This case marks one of the sport's most significant corruption incidents, highlighting systemic failures within the national team's support structure.
SkySports | NewsGeorgia Rugby Captain Merab Sharikadze Banned 11 Years for Urine-Swapping Scandal
Merab Sharikadze, the former captain of Georgia’s national rugby team, has received an 11-year suspension following the conclusion of Operation Obsidian, the largest anti-doping investigation in World Rugby history. The probe, conducted in collaboration with the World Anti-Doping Agency, uncovered evidence that Sharikadze provided his clean urine samples to teammates on three occasions in 2022 and 2023 to help them evade detection for non-performance-enhancing substances like cannabis and tramadol. While no proof was found regarding performance-enhancing drugs, the scheme involved advance warnings of drug tests and sample substitutions. In total, six Georgian players and a medical official, Nutsa Shamatava, received bans ranging from nine months to nine years. The Georgian Rugby Union was charged with misconduct and faces fines alongside mandatory improvements to its anti-doping education programs. World Rugby emphasized the severity of subverting doping control processes but confirmed that Georgia’s participation in future tournaments, including the upcoming World Cup in Australia, remains unaffected. Sharikadze, who earned over 100 caps, claimed he was unaware of the implications when teammates requested his urine.
Sport | The GuardianSix Georgian Rugby Players Banned for Urine-Swapping Doping Scandal
World Rugby has imposed lengthy bans on six players from Georgia’s national rugby team following a major anti-doping investigation described as the most extensive in the sport's history. The sanctions stem from a urine-swapping scheme designed to cheat anti-doping tests ahead of the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France. Former captain Merab Sharikadze received an 11-year ban, while Giorgi Chkoidze was suspended for six years. Lasha Khmaladze, Otar Lashkhi, and Miriani Modebadze received three-year bans, and Lasha Lomidze was banned for nine months. Additionally, former team doctor Nutsa Shamatava was banned for nine years for alerting players to upcoming tests. Investigations revealed no evidence of performance-enhancing drug use; instead, players attempted to conceal cannabis and tramadol usage. The Georgia Rugby Union accepted misconduct charges, agreeing to financial penalties and implementing reforms to improve anti-doping education. This case highlights significant corruption issues within the team's management and player conduct, prompting strict regulatory responses from global governing bodies to maintain integrity in international rugby competitions.
yahoo sportsFormer Georgia Rugby Captain Sharikadze Banned for 11 Years in Doping Scandal
Former Georgia national rugby team captain Merab Sharikadze has been banned from the sport for 11 years following a joint investigation by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and World Rugby. The probe uncovered a systematic doping scheme involving sample substitution and advance warnings of drug tests provided by employees of Georgia's national anti-doping agency (GADA). Sharikadze is one of six players sanctioned, with hooker Giorgi Chkoidze receiving a six-year ban, three players getting three-year suspensions, and Lasha Lomidze banned for nine months. The investigation was triggered by irregularities detected in urine samples prior to the 2023 Men's Rugby World Cup in France. WADA identified five instances where players allegedly swapped urine samples to evade detection. Sharikadze, who has since retired from professional rugby and transitioned to Mixed Martial Arts, faces the longest suspension among the group. The scandal highlights significant integrity issues within Georgian rugby administration during the period leading up to the World Cup, where Georgia failed to secure a victory. Reuters contacted World Rugby and WADA for further comment on the imposed sanctions.
Latest NewsFormer Georgia Rugby Captain Sharikadze Banned 11 Years for Doping Violations
Merab Sharikadze, the former captain of the Georgia national rugby team, has received an 11-year ban from all sports for orchestrating a scheme to evade anti-doping controls. The investigation, led by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and World Rugby, revealed that Sharikadze provided clean urine samples to teammates to substitute for their own during tests. Five other Georgian players were also sanctioned: Giorgi Chkoidze received a six-year ban, Lasha Khmaladze, Otar Lashkhi, and Miriani Modebadze were suspended for three years each, and Lasha Lomidze received a nine-month ban. The scandal involved Georgia’s team doctor, Nutsa Shamatava, who allegedly tipped off players about upcoming tests via a group chat after receiving warnings from the national testing authority. Retesting of historical samples dating back to 2019 confirmed five instances of sample substitution. World Rugby stated the scheme was likely designed to conceal recreational drug use rather than performance-enhancing substances. This ruling significantly impacts the reputation of Georgian rugby, particularly following their participation in the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France, where several implicated players were active squad members.
yahoo sportsFormer Georgia Rugby Captain Sharikadze Banned for 11 Years Over Doping Scheme
Merab Sharikadze, the former captain of the Georgia national rugby team, has received an 11-year ban from all sports for violating anti-doping regulations. The suspension stems from his involvement in a coordinated scheme to help teammates evade drug tests by providing clean urine samples. Five other Georgian players were also suspended, with terms ranging from nine months to six years, including hooker Giorgi Chkoidze and winger Miriani Modebadze. A World Anti-Doping Agency investigation revealed that the national testing authority alerted team doctor Nutsa Shamatava about upcoming tests, allowing her to warn players via a group chat. World Rugby identified anomalies in samples collected before the 2023 Rugby World Cup, leading to the retesting of historical samples which confirmed five instances of sample substitution dating back to 2019. The governing body believes the plot aimed to conceal recreational drug use rather than performance-enhancing substances. Sharikadze, who retired from rugby at age 30 after the tournament, has since transitioned to a career in MMA. This scandal significantly impacted the reputation of the Georgian national team, known as the Lelos, during their recent international campaigns.
BBC SportFormer Georgia Rugby Captain Merab Sharikadze Banned for 11 Years in Doping Scandal
Merab Sharikadze, the former captain of the Georgia national rugby team, has been handed an 11-year ban following his involvement in a sophisticated doping scandal. The sanction results from 'Operation Obsidian,' a joint investigation by World Rugby and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), which uncovered an orchestrated scheme involving recreational drug use and urine sample substitution. The probe revealed that players swapped samples to evade detection, aided by tips from employees of Georgia's national anti-doping agency regarding upcoming tests. Sharikadze, who earned 104 caps and led Georgia at the 2023 Rugby World Cup, received the harshest penalty among the six charged internationals. He had previously admitted to allowing his sample to be used for other players as he transitioned to a career in mixed martial arts. Other sanctions include a nine-year suspension for team doctor Nutsa Shamatava and varying bans for teammates Giorgi Chkoidze, Lasha Khmaladze, Otar Lashkhi, Miriani Modebadze, and Lasha Lomidze. The investigation was initially triggered by irregularities detected in the athlete passport management programme prior to the 2023 tournament in France, where Georgia finished without a victory.
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