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World Rugby and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) have suspended six members of the Georgian men’s national rugby team following a complex investigation into an orchestrated doping scheme.
Five of the athletes have already been found guilty of substituting urine samples, while a sixth remains suspended pending the final results of the disciplinary process.
The investigation, which began ahead of the 2023 Rugby World Cup, utilised DNA analysis and long-term sample storage to uncover irregularities that pointed toward systematic tampering.
The probe revealed deep-rooted collusion between the Georgian Anti-Doping Agency (GADA) and a support staff member of the national team.
Evidence shows that a high-ranking manager at GADA regularly leaked confidential testing schedules to the team via text messages.
This advance notice allowed staff to warn players through group chats, facilitating the substitution of samples.
WADA’s report further criticised GADA for failing to follow international protocols, noting that officials often failed to monitor athletes or witness the passing of urine during collections.
In addition to the player suspensions, several anti-doping officials have been accused of tampering and falsifying documents.
Investigators found instances where testing dates were altered to deceive World Rugby, and false justifications were provided when specific athletes were not tested as requested.
These findings have raised significant alarms regarding the integrity of Georgia’s national anti-doping programme as the country seeks to cement its position among the world’s elite rugby nations.
