This week Conor McGregor confirmed he is not in USADA’s anti-doping testing pool but that he is in constant communication with USADA and all he has to do is provide two negative samples and he is cleared to return.
USADA replied noting they have no meeting scheduled with Conor and generally returning athletes must be in the testing pool for 6 months before they are allowed to compete again in the UFC.
So who is right?
They both are.
The UFC, after being sued by Mark Hunt for not following their anti-doping policies for Brock Lesnar’s return at UFC 200, changed their anti doping policy to let then unilaterally waive it in “excpetional circumstanes” or where following it would be “manifestly unfair to an Athlete”. In other words, whenever the UFC wants.
McGregor presumably has been in touch with the UFC and has their assurance that after two negative samples he’s good to go. 6 months be damned.
Here’s the waiver rule in full.
Combat Sports Law 