The doping scandal which has engulfed Georgian rugby has seen their former captain Merab Sharikadze banned for 11 years as part of severe sanctions handed out by World Rugby.

A joint investigation by World Rugby and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) discovered a scheme involving alleged sample substitution and advance warnings of drug tests.

Dubbed 'Operation Obsidian', the investigation was launched in 2023 and found five instances where players allegedly swapped urine samples to avoid detection.

On Tuesday, the punishments handed out were revealed with Sharikadze receiving the longest suspension. Georgia’s former chief medical officer Nutsa Shamatava has also been banned from rugby for nine years.

In March, after a long investigation, World Rugby – the game’s governing body – described Georgia as running ‘an orchestrated scheme involving recreational drugs and sample substitution.’ They said players were being tipped off by the Georgian anti-doping authorities about upcoming drugs tests.

This took place via Shamatava, who would then inform the players via WhatsApp.

Confirming the news, World Rugby said they had completed the ‘most extensive anti-doping investigation ever undertaken’ in the sport – one which has lasted four years.

It said the six Georgian players ‘have been sanctioned for involvement in urine sample substitution over an extended period’ prior to the 2023 World Cup.

With the help of WADA, World Rugby uncovered a sophisticated operation.

The swapping of urine samples to hide drug taking and the advance warning of tests was similar to the methods used by Russian athletes at the 2014 Winter Olympics. But in the case of the Georgians, the drugs used were recreational and not performance enhancing.

They included cannabis – which is illegal in Georgia – and the painkiller tramadol, now on WADA’s list of banned substances. Tramadol was not in that category at the time the investigation into Georgia began. Sharikadze won 105 caps for Georgia and led them to a famous wins over Italy in Batumi and Wales in Cardiff in 2022.

It is understood Sharikadze was found to have been providing clean urine samples for other players to hide their taking of cannabis and other substances.

He is one of six Georgina players now banned, with the suspensions backdated. Giorgi Chkoidze (six years), Lasha Khmaladze (three years), Miriani Modebadze (three years), Otar Lashkhi (three years) and Lasha Lomidze (9 months) are the others to have been handed suspensions for their roles in the process.

There has been no ban placed on Georgia competing as a team at international level.

World Rugby said: ‘A parallel investigation between World Rugby and WADA was triggered when irregularities in urine samples were identified by World Rugby’s athlete passport management programme. During the course of a large-scale investigation, World Rugby’s operating hypothesis was that the urine sample substitutions were conducted to conceal the use of performance-enhancing substances. However, World Rugby’s extensive investigation has revealed no evidence to support this. In parallel, there was credible evidence to support the players’ assertions that the urine sample substitutions occurred to conceal the use of non-performance-enhancing substances (namely, cannabis and tramadol).

‘In addition to charges brought against the players and support personnel, World Rugby also commissioned an independent enquiry into the actions of the Georgia Rugby Union to ensure any potential involvement of the Union in the scheme was considered and addressed.

‘While the independent report details there are no grounds for the Georgia Rugby Union having a case to answer, the fact a number of players and staff wilfully failed to comply with their anti-doping obligations brings the game into disrepute.’

World Rugby has therefore issued a misconduct charge against the Georgia Rugby Union.

It said: ‘The Union accepted the charge and agreed to a sanction including financial penalty along with a requirement to implement a roadmap of various reforms and measures in its anti-doping training and education to mitigate the risk of any future issues of this nature arising.

‘World Rugby welcomes the Union’s proactive and open approach to assisting with investigations and determining a roadmap of preventative measures.’

World Rugby chief executive Alan Gilpin said: ‘This case demonstrates the importance of operating a robust, science-led anti-doping programme with co-ordinated 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.’

WADA president, Witold Bańka, said: 'WADA welcomes the latest work concluded by World Rugby in what is a scandal for Georgian sport. The suspensions these individuals have received are significant and send a strong message to others who may be tempted to try and cheat the system. 

'We and our anti-doping partners will continue to defend the integrity of sport by conducting diligent investigations and prosecuting violations.' 

WADA has been in communication with the Government of Georgia to request it takes the necessary steps to restore confidence in its anti-doping procedures.

Georgia's Government is working closely with WADA to establish in a timely manner a new organisation with new personnel in this area. 

WADA director of intelligence and investigations, Günter Younger, said: 'We are now in the next phase of this investigation as we assess whether the issues in Georgian rugby go beyond that of one sport. Since WADA announced the findings of Operation Obsidian in March, we have been in communication with the Government of Georgia to ensure it makes the changes necessary to restore our confidence in that country’s anti-doping program.'