Former Georgia rugby captain Merab Sharikadze is banned for 11 years after being found to have violated World Rugby anti-doping rules in a scheme involving urine sample substitution and advance warnings of drug tests. Multiple outlets report that World Rugby, working with the World Anti-Doping Agency, concluded that Sharikadze played a role in arranging or facilitating the “urine-swapping” used to compromise testing results. The investigation led to longer bans for a wider group of people, with five team-mates receiving suspensions of up to six years and a medical official also sanctioned. World Rugby’s findings, as described by several sources, include evidence that urine samples were substituted, intended to conceal substances detected in testing; the Guardian reports this was aimed at hiding non-performance-enhancing drugs such as cannabis and tramadol, while other outlets focus on the sample substitution and test-warning elements. Sharikadze, who won 104 caps for Georgia, has also pursued a career in mixed martial arts since his rugby playing days. The bans are described as part of the biggest anti-doping investigation in World Rugby’s history.