TBILISI, March 24 – Georgia’s Rugby Union said people involved in an anti-doping case linked to the men’s national team before the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France are no longer playing for or working with the side, as it responded to information released by WADA and World Rugby.
In a statement published Monday, the union said the case involved several anti-doping rule violations detected in the period before the 2023 men’s Rugby World Cup in France. The statement came after the World Anti-Doping Agency and World Rugby made the matter public.
The Georgian Rugby Union said it fully recognizes the seriousness of the issue and the damage it has caused to the reputation of Georgian rugby. It said that, in response to questions from supporters, it wanted to clarify that those involved in the case have not played for or worked with the national team since the 2023/24 season.
The union also said that since then, no national team player or Georgian rugby player has been caught or accused of violating anti-doping rules.
According to the statement, the union has been cooperating fully and transparently with WADA and World Rugby from the start of the process. It said the two bodies gave strict instructions that, in order for the investigation to be carried out fully, impartially and according to established rules, the Georgian side should refrain from public comment and from disclosing details until the process is completed. The union said that was the reason it had not commented publicly until now.
The statement added that the union has already launched intensive work and taken strict measures aimed at preventing similar cases in the future. It said everything possible is being done to make sure such incidents do not happen again in rugby.
The union added that once disciplinary matters are finished, it will hold a press conference and answer questions from the media and the public.
