Summary of this article
Six players, one staffer charged in Georgian rugby doping scandal
WADA, World Rugby uncover “sample substitution” scheme with falsified tests
Georgian anti-doping agency accused of advance warnings, false documentation
WADA says confidence in Georgian testing lost, government now involved
Six players in Georgia’s rugby team and one member of the support staff have been charged and sanctioned for what World Rugby described Friday as an “orchestrated scheme involving recreational drugs” and the swapping of drug-test samples.
In a case dating back to before the former Soviet republic’s team played at the 2023 men’s Rugby World Cup, World Rugby and the World Anti-Doping Agency described a scheme of “sample substitution” with players’ urine.
“What has been happening in Georgian rugby is outrageous and will send shockwaves through Georgian sport and government, as well as the global game of rugby,” WADA President Witold Bańka said.
WADA alleged Georgia’s national anti-doping agency was giving advance notice of drug tests to a member of the team’s “entourage,” who then warned players and staff in a group chat. WADA added that members of the Georgian agency’s staff falsified the dates samples were taken, used “false documentation” to justify not testing a player and didn’t watch players as they provided urine samples.
WADA said it has now “lost confidence” in the Georgian agency’s testing and has involved the country’s government.
Neither WADA nor World Rugby immediately named any of the players, how they were sanctioned or specified which drugs were involved.
Georgia will play in Pool B with South Africa, Italy and Romania at next year’s Rugby World Cup.
