World Rugby has handed lengthy bans to six Georgian rugby players and a medical official following the largest anti-doping investigation in the sport's history. Former captain Merab Sharikadze, 32, received an 11-year suspension for his role in a urine-swapping scheme.
Investigation Details
The investigation, code-named Operation Obsidian, was launched before the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Working with the World Anti-Doping Agency, World Rugby uncovered evidence of urine sample substitutions and advance warnings of drug tests given to players. While no firm proof of masking performance-enhancing substances was found, the investigation revealed that urine swaps were used to conceal non-performance-enhancing substances such as cannabis and tramadol.
Sharikadze's Ban
Sharikadze, who captained Georgia to a historic 13-12 victory over Wales in Cardiff in 2022 and earned over 100 caps, received the longest ban. It was established that his clean urine was used on three separate occasions by other players in 2022 and 2023. Now pursuing a career in mixed martial arts, Sharikadze previously claimed teammates asked for his urine because he was known as a clean athlete. He described the moment he learned of the allegations as feeling as though the earth had swallowed him up.
Other Bans and Penalties
Nutsa Shamatava, Georgia's former chief medical officer, received a nine-year ban from rugby. Five other players received bans ranging from nine months to six years. The Georgian Rugby Union has been charged with misconduct and will pay an unspecified fine, along with enhancing its anti-doping training and education programmes.
World Rugby's Stance
World Rugby chief executive Alan Gilpin emphasized the importance of a robust anti-doping programme, stating: "This case demonstrates the importance of operating a robust, science-led anti-doping programme with coordinated biological profile analysis, testing and long-term storage functions. Our extensive four-year investigation has helped identify subversion of the doping control process and sends a clear message that World Rugby takes all anti-doping matters extremely seriously and is an unwavering champion of clean sport."
Despite the scandal, Georgia's participation in future tournaments, including the 2025 World Cup in Australia, remains unaffected.
