McGregor, suspended 18 months for failing drug tests in UFC

Conor McGregor Receives 18-Month Suspension for Anti-Doping Test Failure

The renowned mixed martial arts fighter, Conor McGregor, has been suspended for 18 months by the UFC’s anti-doping program, Combat Sports Anti-Doping (CSAD). The suspension, announced on Tuesday, is retroactive to September 20, 2024, and will end on March 20, 2026. This sanction comes at a crucial moment for McGregor, as he is in the midst of a campaign to be included in the UFC card at the White House, scheduled for June 14, the birthday of former President Donald Trump. This event would mark his return to the octagon after almost five years of absence. The suspension is due to three “whereabouts failures” in which McGregor did not show up for testing on June 13, September 19, and September 20, 2024, in addition to not providing accurate information about his location.

“McGregor failed to present for three attempts to collect biological samples within a 12-month period in 2024, which constitutes a violation of the UFC ADP,” according to a CSAD press release posted on the UFC website.

CSAD

According to CSAD, UFC athletes must provide accurate whereabouts information at all times to be contacted and tested without prior notice. McGregor’s failures occurred on the mentioned dates and were classified as “whereabouts failures” by CSAD under the UFC ADP. On June 13, the day one of the failures occurred, UFC CEO Dana White announced the cancellation of the scheduled fight between McGregor and Michael Chandler at UFC 303. CSAD indicated that McGregor was recovering from an injury and was not preparing for a fight at the time of the failed tests. Despite not being available for testing on those dates, CSAD highlighted McGregor’s cooperation during the investigation, his acceptance of responsibility, and the detailed information provided, which contributed to the failures. Due to cooperation and mitigating circumstances, CSAD reduced the standard 24-month sanction for three whereabouts failures in six months. McGregor’s ineligibility period began on September 20, 2024, and will end on March 20, 2026. The suspension was announced a day after McGregor reported on X that he would take an indefinite break from social media. Currently, the former two-division champion is in the UFC’s drug testing pool, having submitted four samples in 2025.