Conor McGregor has accepted an 18-month suspension for violating the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, Combat Sports Anti-Doping (CSAD) announced.
The suspension stems from three “whereabouts failures” within a 12-month period in 2024. UFC athletes are required to provide accurate location information to be available for unannounced biological sample collection. McGregor failed to make himself available for testing on June 13, September 19, and September 20.
CSAD acknowledged several mitigating factors in McGregor’s case. At the time of the missed tests, he was recovering from an injury and was not in preparation for a fight. The agency also noted that McGregor fully cooperated with its investigation, accepted responsibility, and provided detailed information that helped explain the failures.
Due to these circumstances and his cooperation, CSAD reduced the standard 24-month sanction for three whereabouts failures by six months. Despite the reduction, the agency emphasized that accurate location filings and the ability to conduct unannounced testing are essential to the program’s integrity.
McGregor’s period of ineligibility began on September 20, 2024, the date of his third violation, and is set to conclude on March 20, 2026.
The UFC’s year-round anti-doping program is independently administered by CSAD. Sample collections are conducted by Drug Free Sport International (DFSI), with all samples analyzed at the WADA-accredited Sports Medicine Research and Testing Laboratory (SMRTL) in Salt Lake City, Utah.
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