Starting next year, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) will no longer oversee and enforce the UFC’s Anti-Doping Policy.
In a press release issued on Wednesday, USADA CEO Travis T. Tygart confirmed that UFC superstar Conor McGregor was back in the testing pool — but added that the UFC had opted to part ways with USADA, informing the anti-doping body of their decision as of October 9, 2023.
Per that same press release, Tygart/USADA revealed that the relationship between the two companies became “untenable” as a result of the McGregor situation. After withdrawing from USADA’s testing pool while rehabbing his broken leg, suffered in July 2021, there was a heavy push for McGregor to be granted an exemption from the required six months of drug testing upon his return to action. The UFC, and the UFC alone, control who gets such an exemption, USADA previously confirmed to Cageside Press, but the agency was clear that they wanted no special treatment for McGregor (two fighters, Brock Lesnar and Miesha Tate, had been granted such exemptions in the past).
“Unfortunately, we do not currently know whether the UFC will ultimately honor the six-month or longer requirement because, as of January 1, 2024, USADA will no longer be involved with the UFC Anti-Doping Program,” Wednesday’s press release stated. “Despite a positive and productive meeting about a contract renewal in May 2023, the UFC did an about-face and informed USADA on Monday, October 9, that it was going in a different direction. UFC’s move imperils the immense progress made within the sport under USADA’s leadership.”
No details as to what that other direction the UFC is headed in have been released. Other anti-doping bodies, private testing, or even leaving the entire issue up to athletic commissions remain a possibility.
“The relationship between USADA and UFC became untenable given the statements made by UFC leaders and others questioning USADA’s principled stance that McGregor not be allowed to fight without being in the testing pool for at least six months,” the press release continued. “One UFC commentator echoed this, recently declaring that USADA should not oversee the UFC program since we held firm to the six-month rule involving McGregor, and since we do not allow fighters without an approved medical basis to use performance-enhancing drugs like experimental, unapproved peptides or testosterone for healing or injuries simply to get back in the Octagon.”
“Fighters’ long-term health and safety — in addition to a fair and level playing field — are more important to USADA than short-term profits at the expense of clean athletes. USADA is proud of the work we’ve done over the past eight years to clean up the UFC, and we will continue to provide our unparalleled service to UFC athletes through the remainder of our current contract, which ends December 31, 2023. As always, we will continue to uphold the rights and voices of clean athletes in all sport.”
McGregor, who does not currently have a fight scheduled, has never failed a drug test. He has not competed since breaking his leg in the rubber match of his trilogy with Dustin Poirier.
