Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs stopped wages and funding of Giorgi Edisherashvili (55kg) and Levan Arabuli (120kg). Recall that these athletes are accused of doping reception. Doping-test taken on November 8-11 at the European Nations Cup in Moscow discovered the prohibited drugs in their blood.

Today, Sports Minister Levan Kipiani met the president of Wrestling Federation Luka Kurtanidze, doctor of Olympic team Zurab Kakhabrishvili and the chairman of Anti-Doping Agency Paliko Kasradze. After two-hour meeting they hold joint press conference.

“The situation regarding the doping problem is not enviable in Georgia. Recently, several violations were observed and in order to improve the situation we declare the brutal fight to the problem. This exceeds our abilities, so we decided to involve Health and Internal ministries in the case. It is necessary to set up a special commission which would regulate the availability of prohibited drugs. These medications are imported from abroad, mostly in the form of smuggling and harms not only Georgian sports results, but also the image and what is the most regrettable the health of the athlete. This is a problem that should be uprooted from the beginning” – said Levan Kipiani and also resounded the strict decision – the Ministry will no longer fund those federations, which do not have contracts with the National Anti-Doping Agency.

According to the president of the Wrestling Federation, Edisherashvili and Arabuli got prohibited drugs arbitrarily. Kurtanidze called natural reaction to the strict sanctions of the Ministry, because other athletes will not be tempted.

“With such senseless step the athletes first and foremost harm their health. At the same time, they remain without income. But in case of working honestly they have all the conditions to live normally. Georgia is one of the leading countries with diversity of the preparatory circle, appraising the results and salaries-bonuses” – said Luka Kurtanidze. According to him, the wrestlers will be able to communicate more frequently with Anti-Doping Agency in future and before each tournament they will pass an internal doping-tests.

Paliko Kasradze specified that passing the doping-tests will take place before the European and World Championships. Herewith the Anti-Doping Agency has a categorical demand – in all federation should be one person who will be responsible for the Anti-Doping activities.

Kasradze provided us one of the most interesting information. Prohibited drugs were passed to Edisherashvili and Arabuli in that fitness hall where 7 Georgian athletes were wrapped before. Thus, it should not be hard to find the tempter, but the National Anti-Doping Agency and the Ministry of Sports are not capable of solving the problem at this stage.

Zurab Kakhabrishvili specified that the talks are about the fitness-hall in Cairo Street. After this scandal Olympic team’s doctor went to Bakuriani and made wrestlers and judokas sign the agreement, according to which, team members and candidates (totally 120 men) will not take any medication without doctor’s permission.

Olympic team’s doctor especially regretfully mentioned that first of all we have to solve doping problem in children’s sport, where lot of nonprofessional destroys the future of the young athletes.

And again the comment of Luka Kurtanidze. The president of Wrestling National Federation still hopes that the athletes accused in doping use will escape from 2-year disqualification and the punishment will be light, but according to the statements of Anti-Doping Agency leader and the chief doctor of Olympic team, there is no premise for optimism.

The date expires on January 20, in which the Georgian side had to justify themselves, but it cannot be fixed. Before the final verdict will be officially announced the process can be last for 2 -3 months, however this is not a privilege for the Georgian athletes. The disqualification is already in force from November and probably Giorgi Edisherashvili and Levan Arabuli will come back to the carpet in 2015, when the major part of the licensing cycle of Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games 2016 will be already hold. 

Otar Maglakelidze