Conor McGregor, the renowned UFC fighter from Dublin, Ireland, has been handed an 18-month suspension for violating the UFC Anti-Doping Policy (UFC ADP). This decision was made public by the Combat Sports Anti-Doping (CSAD) Agency, which oversees the enforcement of anti-doping regulations in the sport.
Details of the Violation
McGregor was found to have missed three attempts to collect biological samples during a 12-month span in 2024. These incidents, classified as Whereabouts Failures by CSAD, occurred on the following dates:
- June 13, 2024
- September 19, 2024
- September 20, 2024
According to UFC regulations, fighters must maintain accurate whereabouts information to ensure they can be tested at any time without prior notice. Despite these missed tests, it was noted that McGregor was recovering from an injury and not training for an upcoming fight.
Investigation and Sanction
Throughout the investigation, McGregor cooperated fully and accepted responsibility for his failure to submit to testing. CSAD noted that he provided information that helped clarify the circumstances surrounding the missed tests. Nonetheless, the necessity for accurate whereabouts filings remains critical for the integrity of the UFC Anti-Doping Program.
Reduced Sanction
Despite the mitigating circumstances, CSAD applied a standard sanction of 24 months for the three whereabouts failures. However, considering McGregor’s cooperation, the penalty was reduced by six months. As a result, his ineligibility period commenced on September 20, 2024, and will last until March 20, 2026.
The Role of CSAD
CSAD independently administers the UFC’s comprehensive anti-doping program. Biological sample collections are carried out by Drug Free Sport International (DFSI), a leader in the global anti-doping sector, which has over 5,000 trained personnel. All samples are analyzed at the Sports Medicine Research and Testing Laboratory (SMRTL) in Salt Lake City, Utah, accredited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
Additional Resources
For further information regarding the UFC Anti-Doping Program, policies, and athlete testing statistics, visit El-Balad’s designated section. Resources are available in several languages, including:
- Russian
- Spanish
- Portuguese
- French
- Korean
- Japanese
- Chinese
CSAD also encourages reporting of suspected performance-enhancing drug use in UFC via their confidential tip line at tipline@csad.org.
