Six Georgia rugby players and a team official face anti-doping rule violations following a WADA and World Rugby investigation. Dubbed "Operation Obsidian," the probe revealed alleged urine sample substitutions in five instances and advance warnings of drug tests from Georgian anti-doping agency employees.
Doping control officers also failed to properly observe athletes during testing and did not witness urine collection, violating anti-doping protocols. WADA President Witold Banka called the situation "outrageous" and expects significant repercussions for Georgian sport and government.
World Rugby stated the individuals were charged for an "orchestrated scheme involving recreational drugs and sample substitution." Irregularities in urine samples flagged by World Rugby's athlete passport management program prior to the 2023 Rugby World Cup triggered the investigation. The scandal has led WADA to lose confidence in Georgia's national anti-doping agency, GADA, and called for immediate, wholesale changes.