USADA announce shock end to UFC partnership with barbed statement about Conor McGregor
USADA has announced its partnership with the UFC will end on January 1, 2024 after 'untenable' fractures caused by the Conor McGregor saga.
The anti-doping agency officially confirmed McGregor has returned to the testing pool ahead of a long-awaited UFC comeback.
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However, this news was accompanied by a statement explaining the UFC's decision drop USADA as its drug-testing arm.
USADA CEO Travis T. Tygart said: "Unfortunately, we do not currently know whether the UFC will ultimately honour the six-month or longer requirement because, as of January 1, 2024, USADA will no longer be involved with the UFC Anti-Doping Program.
"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.
"We are disappointed for UFC athletes, who are independent contractors who rely on our independent, gold-standard global program to protect their rights to a clean, safe, and fair Octagon.
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"The UFC’s move imperils the immense progress made within the sport under USADA’s leadership."
McGregor left the USADA testing pool after fracturing his leg during a defeat to Dustin Poirier in July 2021, his last appearance in the Octagon to date.
Under USADA, fighters must spend six months in the pool and return two negative tests before competing in MMA's premier promotion.
The UFC is able to waive the six-month rule if it is deemed unfair for the particular fighter, but USADA held firm on its position that this would not apply for McGregor.
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Nevertheless, the former two-weight champion and UFC president Dana White continued to push for an imminent comeback fight against Michael Chandler.
Tensions reached boiling point in July when White claimed McGregor could fight in 2023 and said: "Who cares what USADA says?"
Meanwhile, UFC commentator Joe Rogan recently claimed the promotion should ditch USADA because it does not allow fighters to use certain healing substances.
USADA CEO Tygart added in his statement: "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.
"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.”
Amidst the saga, McGregor is back in the testing pool and, under the six-month rule, the 35-year-old will be eligible to compete from April 9 next year, which is before the historic UFC 300 card.
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However, the decision to drop USADA means the UFC have no obligation to honour this rule from January 1 onwards.
'Notorious' is expected to face Chandler after their joint-stint on The Ultimate Fighter.
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