Dana White Criticizes USADA for Announcement of Separation from UFC

The announcement of the separation between the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) and the UFC has sparked controversy, with UFC President and CEO Dana White expressing his displeasure with how the news was communicated. This development comes after the recent update on Conor McGregor’s reentry into the USADA testing pool, which led to more questions than answers.

The USADA announcement mentioned that their partnership with the UFC would end in 2023, after eight years of collaboration. CEO of USADA, Travis Tygart, raised concerns about the UFC’s motives behind this decision, suggesting that the promotion wanted to show favoritism towards McGregor in the anti-doping process by exempting him from a significant rule.

However, in a news conference held by the UFC, Chief Business Officer Hunter Campbell and Senior Vice President of Athlete Health and Performance Jeff Novitzky disputed Tygart’s statement, threatening legal action against USADA and announcing the creation of a new UFC anti-doping program starting in January. This situation raises several important questions, and here are some answers to them.

The reason for the separation depends on who you ask. USADA claims that the UFC reversed its position after positive discussions in May about extending their relationship. Tygart believes that the UFC wanted to exempt McGregor from a crucial rule and that USADA’s insistence on applying the rule to all athletes, including McGregor, upset the promotion. The UFC, on the other hand, states that they decided to move on from USADA a year ago because they believed new organizations and technology in the anti-doping space could offer a better program. They also mentioned unfulfilled promises made by USADA regarding technology and dissatisfaction among some fighters with the existing program.

Tygart believes that the UFC’s decision to part ways with USADA is connected to McGregor’s case. McGregor broke his leg in a fight in July 2021 and removed himself from the USADA drug-testing pool during his recovery and rehab. The UFC’s anti-doping policy states that a fighter returning to the pool must be in it for at least six months and pass two drug tests before competing again. While the UFC can waive the six-month rule in certain circumstances, McGregor has not been tested in over two years. Despite USADA’s recommendation that McGregor spend at least six months in the pool, the UFC president, Dana White, disregarded the organization’s stance and mentioned that McGregor could fight before the end of the year.

In response to the separation announcement, the UFC sent a legal letter to USADA accusing them of making defamatory statements that negatively impact the UFC’s reputation. The UFC demanded an apology and retraction from USADA, which the agency did not provide. It remains to be seen whether this situation will lead to a lawsuit.

USADA will continue to be the UFC’s anti-doping partner until January 1, 2024, and the current suspensions and pending suspensions will be honored until then. The UFC plans to establish its new anti-doping program in January, aiming to address the concerns raised by fighters and explore new technologies in the field.