Conor McGregor Banned For 18 Months Over Anti-Doping Violations

According to Ireporter Online, Irish mixed martial arts superstar Conor McGregor has been handed an 18-month suspension for violating the UFC’s anti-doping policy. The Combat Sports Anti-Doping (CSAD) agency confirmed the disciplinary action on Monday, stating that McGregor had missed three scheduled drug tests within a 12-month period in 2024 — an offense treated as a failed test under UFC regulations.

The 37-year-old fighter reportedly failed to appear for biological sample collections on June 13, September 19, and September 20 of last year. Under UFC rules, athletes are required to keep their whereabouts information updated to allow random testing at any time.

CSAD revealed that McGregor’s initial two-year ban was reduced to 18 months in light of his cooperation and mitigating injury-related circumstances. In a statement published on the UFC’s website, officials said McGregor “accepted responsibility and provided detailed information that assisted in the investigation.”

The suspension officially began on September 20, 2024 — the date of his third violation — and will run until March 20, 2026, by which time McGregor will be nearing his 39th birthday.

McGregor has not competed since his leg-breaking defeat to Dustin Poirier in July 2021, with multiple comeback plans stalled by medical and contractual complications. Recently, he caused a stir by claiming he had been booked to fight on the “UFC White House” card slated for June 14, 2026, coinciding with former U.S. President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday. However, UFC president Dana White refuted the claim, clarifying that no such negotiations had been finalized.

The former two-division champion, who holds a professional record of 22 wins and 6 losses, announced via social media on Monday that he would be “taking a break” from online platforms.

Outside the cage, McGregor has faced a series of controversies. In November 2024, a Dublin court ordered him to pay £206,000 in damages and legal costs to Nikita Hand, who accused him of rape in a 2018 incident. Ms Hand also indicated plans to pursue a civil case against McGregor and others for alleged abuse of court processes.

In a separate development, McGregor recently confirmed that he would no longer be running for the Irish presidency — a political ambition that had sparked widespread debate earlier this year.