A doping violation is a career risk for the athlete and a sanctions-and-funding risk for their environment. In Georgia the field is structured by the anti-doping chapter of the Law on Sport: the norm on prohibited means, the powers of the anti-doping agency and the obligations of sports organisations are summarised in one frame. This page explains what counts as a violation, who detects it, and what consequences follow for the athlete and their surroundings.
Prohibited Means and the Facilitator's Liability
The twenty-seventh article of the law establishes the general prohibition: in the sphere of sport activity, for the purpose of achieving high results by an athlete, it is impermissible to use such methods and stimulating means as are prohibited by Georgian legislation, by the statutes of national sports federations and international sports organisations, and by other legal acts. An important part of the same article is the facilitator's liability: a person who consciously facilitates the use of such means answers under Georgian legislation. This means that a coach, a member of the medical staff or a manager who knowingly supports the use of prohibited means becomes a liable person in their own right — the circle of the violation extends beyond the athlete. For support personnel the practical conclusion is stark: involvement short of use still counts, and the defence of "I did not take anything myself" does not answer the norm.
The Georgian Anti-Doping Agency
Anti-doping activity in the country is run by the Georgian Anti-Doping Agency: a non-commercial legal person exercising its powers under the law, other normative acts, the World Anti-Doping Code and the Georgian anti-doping rules. The agency holds the exclusive competence to carry out actions related to anti-doping activity on the territory of Georgia, except where those actions are performed by the World Anti-Doping Agency, an international sports federation or an event organiser in the cases provided by the Code. The Georgian anti-doping rules extend to all national sports federations, to every athlete competing for Georgia, and to natural and legal persons. Among the agency's functions, decisive for violations are: doping control; the prevention of violations of the Georgian anti-doping rules and the detection of facts of violations — including the participation of athletes, members of athlete support personnel or other persons — with the corresponding response by referral to the disciplinary or appeal organ; and the publication of the updated list of prohibited substances and methods on its official website by the end of every calendar year. Reporting must not lag either: the agency submits a report to the Ministry at least once a year, and additionally on request.
The Obligations of Sports Organisations
In the sphere of doping a sports organisation is obliged to: ensure the automatic recognition of the agency's powers and the Georgian anti-doping rules, and cooperate with the agency; create the conditions necessary for conducting doping control and support the agency in facilitating it; carry out anti-doping propaganda together with the agency, and develop and implement information and educational programmes; carry out the respective measures following from the consequences of a violation; and — the strictest norm — terminate all financing of an athlete or other person during the period of a sanction's operation against that person. The Ministry itself is entitled, where these obligations are not performed, to suspend or terminate the financing of the organisation — meaning that the passivity of a club or federation on anti-doping matters ends with the loss of state support. The design of the chapter thus aligns incentives at both levels: the person under sanction loses financing, and the organisation that tolerates violations loses its own.
The Consequences of a Violation
The twenty-eighth article of the law sets the general rule: violation of its requirement entails liability in accordance with Georgian legislation. In doping-related cases that definition covers both the sports sanctions determined through the disciplinary and appeal mechanisms and the administrative consequences of terminating financing. For the athlete this means the dispute runs on two fronts: within sports law — the sanction and its appeal — and within the organisational frame — the termination of financing, which spans the entire period of the sanction's operation. Preparing for both fronts simultaneously is not optional but the natural shape of the defence.
Frequently asked questions
Who detects a doping violation?
The Georgian Anti-Doping Agency, which detects the facts of violations and responds by referral to the disciplinary or appeal organ.
What happens to a sports organisation that fails its duties?
The Ministry is entitled to suspend or terminate its financing.
Who answers for facilitating prohibited means?
A person who consciously facilitates the use of such means answers under Georgian legislation.
Where is the prohibited list published?
The agency publishes the updated list on its official website by the end of every calendar year.
How We Help on Legal.ge
The Legal.ge team assists athletes, their support personnel, clubs and federations in doping-related procedures. We assess the legal conditions of sanctions and financing termination, prepare the position before the disciplinary and appeal organs, explain which obligations your organisation carries and how to reduce the risk before a violation occurs. Contact us for a consultation — we will defend your position at every stage of the procedure.