Conor McGregor accepts 18-month suspension for missed doping tests

Irish MMA champion Conor McGregor has accepted an 18-month suspension for violating the UFC's anti-doping policy after missing three attempted tests in 2024, Combat Sports Anti-Doping (CSAD) announced Tuesday.

"McGregor missed three attempted biological sample collections within a 12-month period in 2024, which constitutes a violation of the UFC ADP (anti-doping policy)," the CSAD said in a statement.

The missed collections occurred on June 13, September 19, and September 20, and were each recorded as whereabouts failures. Under the programme, "UFC athletes are required to provide accurate whereabouts information at all times, so they can be contacted and submit to biological sample collections without prior warning."

The sanction is retroactive to September 20, 2024 - the date of the third missed test - and runs through March 20, 2026. CSAD noted McGregor was rehabbing an injury and not in fight preparation during the missed collections, and that he fully cooperated with the inquiry, accepted responsibility and supplied information that explained the circumstances. Citing those factors, CSAD reduced the standard 24-month penalty for three whereabouts failures by six months.

"Despite these mitigating factors, CSAD emphasizes that accurate whereabouts filings and the ability to conduct unannounced testing are essential to the success of the UFC ADP," the CSAD added.

CSAD administers the UFC's year-round program independently. Sample collections are performed by Drug Free Sport International, and testing is conducted at the WADA-accredited Sports Medicine Research and Testing Laboratory in Salt Lake City.

McGregor, 37, re-entered the UFC testing pool and has provided four samples in 2025. The former two-division champion has not competed since July 2021. His planned bout with Michael Chandler for UFC 303 in 2024 was canceled after McGregor withdrew with an injury.

With the suspension ending March 20, 2026, McGregor would be eligible to compete again in the spring of next year, pending medical clearance and any bout agreement. This would come just in time for the UFC card slated to take place at the White House, which President Donald Trump recently announced would be held on June 14, 2026.