Conor McGregor suspended 18 months for missed drug tests

Former UFC champion Conor McGregor has been suspended for 18 months by the Combat Sports Anti-Doping (CSAD) programme aft missing 3 cause tests successful 2024, the bureau announced Tuesday.

The prohibition is retroactive to September 20, 2024, and volition tally until March 20, 2026, conscionable 3 months earlier the UFC’s White House combat paper scheduled for June 14 — President Donald Trump’s birthday. McGregor has been lobbying publically to vie connected that card, which would people his archetypal combat successful astir 5 years.

According to a CSAD statement, McGregor “missed 3 attempted biologic illustration collections wrong a 12-month period,” connected June 13, September 19, and September 20, 2024, and failed to supply close determination information. “UFC athletes are required to supply close whereabouts accusation astatine each times,” the merchandise said.

CSAD reduces modular punishment aft cooperation

The archetypal missed trial came connected June 13 — the aforesaid time UFC CEO Dana White announced the cancellation of McGregor’s scheduled combat against Michael Chandler astatine UFC 303. At the time, McGregor was recovering from an wounded and not preparing for competition.

CSAD confirmed that McGregor cooperated with investigators, accepted responsibility, and provided elaborate accusation astir the missed tests. In airy of that, the bureau reduced the modular 24-month authorisation by six months. “Taking McGregor’s practice and circumstances into account, CSAD reduced the modular sanction,” the connection read.

McGregor’s play of ineligibility began connected September 20, 2024, the day of his 3rd failure, and volition reason connected March 20, 2026. The ruling efficaciously sidelines him until mid-2026, ending immoderate contiguous hopes of a return.

The suspension follows a turbulent play for McGregor, who has not fought since 2021. On Monday, helium announced connected X that helium would instrumentality an indefinite interruption from societal media.

The erstwhile two-division champion remains successful the UFC’s investigating excavation and has already submitted 4 samples successful 2025, signaling that helium intends to instrumentality erstwhile the suspension expires.