USADA (U.S. Anti-Doping Agency) will no longer be involved with UFC’s Anti-Doping Program starting this January in a situation the former called "untenable" due to UFC's stance on Conor McGregor
The company went into detail in a statement Wednesday explaining why it would no longer be associated with the program beginning on January 1, 2024, ending a sometimes controversial partnership to oversee the company's anti-doping program that began in 2015.
After confirming that McGregor had re-entered the UFC drug testing pool on October 8th, USADA claimed that despite a positive contract renewal meeting in May, UFC did “an about-face” and informed them they would not be renewing their contract with USADA this past Monday with the UFC saying they would be going in “a different direction.”
As of now, it's unclear what the direction will be.
USADA also stated that the relationship between itself and UFC had become “untenable” given comments 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."
McGregor has not fought in the UFC since a loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021 where he broke his tibia in the fight. He coached this past season of The Ultimate Fighter against Michael Chandler with the hope both men would fight this year. However, there is no clear timeline for when the fight will happen.
The full statement can be read below:
"We can confirm that Conor McGregor has re-entered the USADA testing pool as of Sunday, October 8, 2023. We have been clear and firm with the UFC that there should be no exception given by the UFC for McGregor to fight until he has returned two negative tests and been in the pool for at least six months. The rules also allow USADA to keep someone in the testing pool longer before competing based on their declarations upon entry in the pool and testing results.
Unfortunately, we do not currently know whether the UFC will ultimately honor 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. The UFC's move imperils the immense progress made within the sport under USADA's leadership.
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."
The company went into detail in a statement Wednesday explaining why it would no longer be associated with the program beginning on January 1, 2024, ending a sometimes controversial partnership to oversee the company's anti-doping program that began in 2015.
After confirming that McGregor had re-entered the UFC drug testing pool on October 8th, USADA claimed that despite a positive contract renewal meeting in May, UFC did “an about-face” and informed them they would not be renewing their contract with USADA this past Monday with the UFC saying they would be going in “a different direction.”
As of now, it's unclear what the direction will be.
USADA also stated that the relationship between itself and UFC had become “untenable” given comments 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."
McGregor has not fought in the UFC since a loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021 where he broke his tibia in the fight. He coached this past season of The Ultimate Fighter against Michael Chandler with the hope both men would fight this year. However, there is no clear timeline for when the fight will happen.
The full statement can be read below:
"We can confirm that Conor McGregor has re-entered the USADA testing pool as of Sunday, October 8, 2023. We have been clear and firm with the UFC that there should be no exception given by the UFC for McGregor to fight until he has returned two negative tests and been in the pool for at least six months. The rules also allow USADA to keep someone in the testing pool longer before competing based on their declarations upon entry in the pool and testing results.
Unfortunately, we do not currently know whether the UFC will ultimately honor 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. The UFC's move imperils the immense progress made within the sport under USADA's leadership.
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."
He's too old. Rico still champ? Rico's pretty ****ing good.
Marchegiano
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