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Georgian Rugby Stars Banned for Doping Scheme
12 May
Summary
- Former captain Merab Sharikadze received an 11-year ban for providing clean urine.
- The doping scheme involved tipping off players about upcoming anti-doping tests.
- World Rugby flagged sample anomalies leading to a doping investigation.
Former Georgia rugby captain Merab Sharikadze has been banned from sport for 11 years due to his participation in a clandestine scheme facilitating doping test cheating. Hooker Giorgi Chkoidze received a six-year suspension, while Lasha Khmaladze, Otar Lashkhi, and Miriani Modebadze were banned for three years each. Lasha Lomidze received a nine-month ban.
Sharikadze admitted to supplying clean urine to teammates. An investigation by the World Anti-Doping Agency found that Georgia's national testing authority would alert the team doctor, Nutsa Shamatava, about upcoming tests. She then shared this information via a group chat.
World Rugby, alerted by sample anomalies before the 2023 Rugby World Cup, believes the scheme aimed to conceal recreational drug use. Retesting of historical samples dating back to 2019 revealed five instances of sample substitution involving Sharikadze and other players.
Sharikadze participated in three games at the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Chkoidze withdrew before the tournament citing injury, while Modebadze and Lashkhi were involved in the tournament squad changes. Khmaladze and Lomidze were also part of the national team setup during this period. Georgia finished last in their pool during the World Cup.
