Former Georgia captain banned for 11 years after rugby doping scandal

Merab Sharikadze, a former Georgia rugby captain who earned 104 caps for his country, has been handed an 11-year ban following a doping violation. The sanction ends his rugby career and comes as Sharikadze had been pursuing a career in mixed martial arts after his time in rugby. The lengthy ban reflects the severity of the doping breach found against the experienced international.