The United States Anti-Doping Agency will no longer be responsible for overseeing the UFC’s anti-doping program starting in 2024, as the partnership between the two organizations will come to an end after their current contract expires in 2023, with talks for an extension breaking down amid tensions surrounding Conor McGregor‘s re-entry into the drug testing pool following a hiatus.
The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) will no longer manage the UFC’s anti-doping program after their contract expires at the end of 2023. The CEO of USADA, Travis Tygart, made this announcement and revealed that talks for an extension had fallen through, leading the MMA promotion to terminate the partnership starting in 2024. Tygart also confirmed that Conor McGregor, a UFC superstar, had re-entered the drug testing program after a long absence. USADA insisted that McGregor must undergo two negative tests and be in the testing pool for at least six months before being allowed to compete, but it is uncertain whether the UFC will comply with this requirement after USADA’s involvement ends.
Tygart pointed to the strained relationship between USADA and the UFC, largely due to McGregor’s situation. McGregor had left the anti-doping program to recover from a broken leg sustained in a previous fight against Dustin Poirier in 2021. Although McGregor expressed intentions to re-enter the program, USADA rules dictated a six-month testing period unless an exception was granted. Tygart expressed disappointment in the UFC’s decision to end the partnership, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a clean and fair playing field for fighters.
USADA refused to grant an exemption to McGregor based on the fact that he had withdrawn from the anti-doping program while recovering from his injury. Tygart highlighted a commentator’s statement suggesting that USADA should not oversee the UFC program due to their adherence to the six-month rule with McGregor and their refusal to allow fighters to use performance-enhancing drugs without a valid medical basis. Tygart reaffirmed USADA’s commitment to prioritizing the long-term health and safety of fighters, as well as ensuring a level playing field.
The UFC had initially partnered with USADA in 2015 to implement their anti-doping initiative, and during their eight-year collaboration, USADA conducted more than 27,000 tests across the UFC’s roster.