Conor McGregor Receives 18-Month Suspension for Anti-Doping Test Failure
The renowned mixed martial arts fighter, Conor McGregor, has been sanctioned with an 18-month suspension by the UFC’s anti-doping program, Combat Sports Anti-Doping (CSAD). The news, confirmed this Tuesday, marks a new chapter in the Irishman’s career. McGregor’s suspension is retroactive to September 20, 2024, and will end on March 20, 2026. This sanction comes at a crucial moment, just over three months before the UFC event at the White House, scheduled for June 14, the birthday of former President Donald Trump. McGregor had expressed his interest in participating in this card, which would have marked his return to the octagon after almost five years of absence. CSAD, the internal agency that manages the UFC’s anti-doping program, detailed that the suspension is due to three “whereabouts failures.” McGregor did not show up for tests on June 13, September 19, and September 20, 2024, in addition to not providing accurate information about his location.According to the CSAD statement, UFC athletes must provide accurate whereabouts information at all times to facilitate no-notice testing. McGregor’s failures were classified as “whereabouts failures” under the UFC’s ADP program. On June 13, the day of the first failed test, UFC CEO Dana White announced the cancellation of the scheduled fight between McGregor and Michael Chandler at UFC 303. CSAD noted that McGregor was dealing with an injury and was not preparing for a fight at that time. CSAD acknowledged McGregor’s cooperation during the investigation, his acceptance of responsibility, and the detailed information provided, which contributed to the failures. Due to these factors, CSAD reduced the standard 24-month sanction for three whereabouts failures to 18 months. The disqualification period began on September 20, 2024, and will end on March 20, 2026. This suspension comes a day after McGregor announced on X that he would be taking an indefinite break from social media. Currently, the former two-division champion is in the UFC’s drug testing pool and has submitted four samples in 2025.“McGregor failed to present himself for three attempts to collect biological samples within a 12-month period in 2024, which constitutes a violation of the UFC’s ADP,” reads a CSAD press release on the UFC website.
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