"Working alongside the World Anti-Doping Agency, evidence was uncovered of urine swapping and advance warning of drug tests being given to players. No firm proof was uncovered of attempts to mask the use of performance-enhancing substances but World Rugby did find evidence that urine sample substitutions had taken place to conceal non-performance-enhancing substances such as cannabis and tramadol."
"Sharikadze received the longest ban with an 11-year suspension after it was established his clean urine was used on three other occasions by other players in 2022 and 2023. Sharikadze, 32, who led Georgia to a famous 13-12 victory over Wales in Cardiff in 2022, earned more than 100 caps for his country and attended Hartpury College in Gloucestershire in his teens."
"The investigation, code-named Operation Obsidian, was launched before the 2023 World Cup. Nutsa Shamatava, Georgia's former chief medical officer, has also been banned from rugby for nine years, with five other players receiving bans ranging from nine months to six years. The Georgian Rugby Union has been charged with misconduct and will be required to pay an unspecified fine as well as enhance its anti-doping training and education programmes."
"World Rugby's chief executive, Alan Gilpin, said: 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."
Operation Obsidian, launched before the 2023 World Cup, produced the largest anti-doping investigation in World Rugby history. Evidence gathered with the World Anti-Doping Agency showed urine swapping and advance warning of drug tests given to players. World Rugby did not find firm proof of attempts to mask performance-enhancing substances, but it found evidence that urine sample substitutions concealed non-performance-enhancing substances including cannabis and tramadol. Merab Sharikadze received an 11-year ban after his clean urine was used on three other occasions by other players in 2022 and 2023. Nutsa Shamatava received a nine-year ban, and five other players received bans from nine months to six years. The Georgian Rugby Union faces misconduct charges and must improve anti-doping training and education.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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