The USADA era with the UFC is coming to an end in 2024.
The drug testing agency released a statement on Wednesday noting that Conor McGregor is re-entering the USADA testing pool but that the organization will no longer serve as UFC’s drug testing agency once their deal expires at the end of the year.
BREAKING: USADA announces that Conor McGregor has re-entered the UFC's anti-doping program and states that as of January 1, 2024, they will no longer be overseeing the UFC's anti-doping program. pic.twitter.com/H4X3gITvzW
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) October 11, 2023
USADA began overseeing UFC’s drug testing in 2015.
USADA states that McGregor re-entered the testing pool this past Sunday but is unsure if UFC will honor the protocol of having McGregor test negative for a six-month period before allowing the fighter to compete.
“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.”
The deal between the two entities expires on December 31, 2023, and it is unknown if UFC will seek out another drug testing agency or strictly rely on commission testing in the sanctioned areas of the world they run.
