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#Post#: 154067--------------------------------------------------
Ex-Georgia captain Sharikadze banned for 11 years
DIR By: Rugbycat
Date: May 12, 2026, 8:17 am
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Former Georgia captain Merab Sharikadze has been banned from
sport for 11 years for his part in a secret scheme which helped
national team players cheat anti-doping tests.
Hooker Giorgi Chkoidze has been banned for six years, with Lasha
Khmaladze, Otar Lashkhi and Miriani Modebadze receiving
three-year suspensions, and Lasha Lomidze being banned for nine
months.
Sharikadze, who led Georgia to a famous win over Wales in
Cardiff in 2022, admitted providing 'clean' urine to team-mates.
A World Anti-Doping Agency investigation found that Georgia's
national testing authority would tip off Georgia's team doctor
Nutsa Shamatava about forthcoming tests, and she would then
share the information via a team group chat.
World Rugby, who flagged anomalies in samples from the team in
the run-up to the 2023 Rugby World Cup, says it believes the
sample substitution ploy was designed to conceal the use of
recreational drugs.
The game's governing body supplied historical samples which,
when retested, showed five instances of sample substitution
involving Sharikadze and five other players, dating back to
2019.
Sharikadze appeared in three of the Lelos' pool games at the
2023 Rugby World Cup, while hooker Chkoidze dropped out of
contention for the tournament just before its start, citing an
injury picked up in a warm-up match.
Wing Modebadze started the team's defeat by Australia in their
tournament opener at Stade de France, before being replaced in
the squad by Lashkhi on injury grounds.
Khmaladze started at full-back in the defeat by Wales in Nantes,
while back row Lomidze, who had brief spells in England with
London Irish and Doncaster, was not involved in the tournament.
Georgia finished bottom of their pool, drawing against Portugal
and losing their other three matches.
Sharikadze, the most high-profile of the suspended players,
ended his player career shortly after, aged 30, and switched
careers to become an MMA fighter, winning his debut bout in
November 2025.
HTML https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/articles/c7v9rmj7zm2o
#Post#: 154097--------------------------------------------------
Re: Ex-Georgia captain Sharikadze banned for 11 years
DIR By: deadlyfrom5yardsout
Date: May 13, 2026, 12:52 am
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Well blow me! Recreational drugs eh? WTAF?
#Post#: 154104--------------------------------------------------
Re: Ex-Georgia captain Sharikadze banned for 11 years
DIR By: Quinky
Date: May 13, 2026, 2:17 am
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Interestingly, Georgia has very strict drug laws.
#Post#: 154111--------------------------------------------------
Re: Ex-Georgia captain Sharikadze banned for 11 years
DIR By: Rugbycat
Date: May 13, 2026, 3:34 am
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--- Quote from: Quinky link ---
>
> Interestingly, Georgia has very strict drug laws.
>
--- End Quote ---
They do, and recreational drugs is less of a problem for world
rugby, than performance enhancing drugs.
#Post#: 154113--------------------------------------------------
Re: Ex-Georgia captain Sharikadze banned for 11 years
DIR By: Quinky
Date: May 13, 2026, 4:35 am
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--- Quote from: Rugbycat link ---
>
> They do, and recreational drugs is less of a problem for world
rugby, than performance enhancing drugs.
>
--- End Quote ---
I wonder if they were Georgia based, or like many of their
players, based in France. The latter would make more sense.
#Post#: 154114--------------------------------------------------
Re: Ex-Georgia captain Sharikadze banned for 11 years
DIR By: Rugbycat
Date: May 13, 2026, 4:48 am
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--- Quote from: Quinky link ---
>
> I wonder if they were Georgia based, or like many of their
players, based in France. The latter would make more sense.
>
--- End Quote ---
All play or played for Georgian clubs.
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