“My mother died because of stress”: Merab Sharikadze speaks out after his suspension in a doping case

In an interview given to Daily MailMerab Sharikadze returned to the doping affair that shook Georgian rugbythe former captain of Lelos received an 11-year suspension. He decided to clarify the situation and speak out before others did it for him. The former captain of the Georgian selection with 104 caps chose to confess everything and testify about this affair which ended his rugby career. “It’s not a short story. There are a lot of things to consider. How did I get involved? What was wrong with the system? Not everyone knows the whole story, so I want to share it” he explains.

“I am the cruelest and most heinous character in this story”

The center, which passed through Bourg-en-Bresse and Aurillac, tells the story of his descent into hell and recounts the reasons for his suspension. “Someone I trusted a lot asked me to provide a urine sample during our training camp. It was stupid, but at the time I thought my friends were in trouble and I had to help them. It was because of the cannabis. I know it happens. I played in England, I played in France and I saw a lot of rugby players smoking cannabis It was obviously a big mistake, but I gave it to a trusted person and the exchange was easy I didn’t do anything dangerous I was just sitting in my room, the boys are. They came in, I urinated in their little bottle and they took it away.” confides the culprit. The method was simple, the Georgian team doctor informed the players in advance so that they could prepare for the doping tests. Players who were at risk of having a positive test therefore used their captain’s urine to falsify the results. “It happened three times. It was so easy that in my head it didn’t feel like I was doing anything that bad. I knew they were using it and it was really stupid of me. I was the healthiest person in the world. Everyone knew I had never touched a cigarette. I don’t drink alcohol and I never had anything fact which could constitute any offense. That’s why I was asked.”. Caught in this spiral, Sharikadze indicates that he had no awareness of the risks he was taking, he only had the feeling of helping friends. However, he now realizes that his actions seem unforgivable. “I didn’t imagine where this would lead. We are human and we make mistakes, and I made that mistake. It came to light and I received the heaviest punishment. I am the cruelest and most heinous character in this story.”.

“The one I helped stabbed me in the back to save himself”

While Georgian rugby is going through the best period in its history, this affair calls into question all the progress that has been made by theread them. “Six players and a member of the team management were charged and sanctioned in connection with an organized scheme involving recreational drugs and sample substitutions” jointly communicate World Rugby and the World Anti-Doping Agency, as part of an investigation called Operation Obsidian which relates to events occurring between 2019 and 2023. This investigation destroyed Merab Sharikadze who never thought he would find himself in such turmoil. “They told me that if I spied on other players, they would release me. I would rather die. They call it substantial assistance, which means I have to gather information and report it to people who are doing illegal things. I didn’t want to destroy people’s lives. I didn’t want to do that” he says. “The worst part is how they got this information. No one outside of this circle is involved in this. If you look at the file, the person who provided all the information, who used my urine sample, was let go. Everyone was caught, including me “I understand that I am guilty. The one I helped stabbed me in the back to save himself. He also stabbed everyone.” laments the one who now devotes himself to MMA. If he retains the support of the Georgian people in this new experience, he knows eminently that this affair has lastingly tarnished his image and will be marked for life by this tragic episode which ended his career. “At some point, the anti-doping agency relaxed”he declares. “I almost feel like I’m a victim of this absurd situation. It was a terrible decision on my part, but 11 years… are you kidding? I’ve never heard of such a long suspension.”. The former center does not question his guilt but he has the feeling of being the scapegoat for this sad affair.

“My mother died because of this situation”

“I was playing my best years. I was preparing for the 2027 World Cup. Everything was going well. I appealed and they decided I was a criminal and sentenced me to 11 years in prison. I wanted my trial to be in person so they remember I’m a person like the others, with a family They wanted it to be done on a laptop. he laments. The man who was for a long time one of the only players on the Georgian back line to play professionally saw his career come to an abrupt end in 2024, when he was only 31 years old. This affair destroyed not only his life but also that of those around him, he reveals in a moving testimony. “My mother died due to stress. It’s easy to criticize me on social media, but for me, it goes much deeper. Her wish was to save my career. Even though she was sick, she only worried about my rugby and my suspension” and continue “My mother died because of this situation. My sister found a note to God in her purse two months after her death, saying: “Ramène Merab on the field as captain.” Ma vie entière a été détruite”. Certainly Sharikadze committed a serious mistake but the consequences were devastating for him. “Obviously I’m guilty. But I’m not guilty enough to destroy my whole life and my family’s life. It was a stupid thing to do, I know, but I don’t think I’m the most evil character in this story.”he finishes. This doping affair which shook Georgian rugby destroyed the life of a man who had everything ahead of him. A succession of bad choices led to a tragic descent into hell from which Sharikadze is now trying to escape by speaking out.