Conor McGregor says it's high time Bellator drug tests its fighters effectively
The unregulated use of performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) in MMA has been a topic that's been hotly debated for ages now.
While the UFC has named the United States Anti Doping Agency as the regulatory authority for testing fighters competing under the promotion, promotions such as Bellator still don't have a performance-enhancing drug-testing system in place, and former UFC two-division champion Conor McGregor reminded the Scott Coker-led promotion of the same.
Conor McGregor says it's high time for Bellator to have a performance-enhancing drug-testing system in place
Replying to a tweet by his SBG teammate and Bellator featherweight Sinead Kavanagh, Conor McGregor took to Twitter to claim that it's high time that the promotion adopts a reputable testing body to keep it’s clean athletes safe! It is pertinent to mention here that Conor McGregor has so far been one of the cleanest athletes in the UFC, never having tested positive for the usage of PEDs.
It is crazy to think @BellatorMMA still do not have a performance enhancing drug testing system in place. It is long overdue time the promotion adopts a reputable testing body in order to keep it’s clean athletes safe!
It will be interesting to see if Kavanagh's comments were directed at a particular fighter. Although one can't tell for sure, could it be that the Irish fighter has indirectly pointed at reigning Bellator women's featherweight champion Cris Cyborg, who is managed by the same company that manages Conor McGregor.
We think that's the case because of two things - Kavanagh's comments about "women having six-packs on six-packs" and the fact that Cyborg once tested positive for using PEDs. Kavanagh also recently claimed that Cyborg is "next in line" for her and it could be that she's trying to get into the head of her potential opponent.
Cyborg fought Hiroko Yamanaka at Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Masvidal on December 17, 2011, and won via a stunning 16-second TKO in the first round but the win was later turned to a no-contest after it was announced that Cyborg had tested positive for stanozolol, an anabolic steroid. Cyborg also had her license suspended for one year and was fined $2,500. Cyborg later explained that a dietary supplement triggered the failed drug test, but it affected her career at the time.
In recent years, the USADA has made great efforts to eradicate the use of PED in combat sports. USADA has clearly outlined prohibited substances in and out of MMA competition and enforced compulsory random testing for fighters. If tested positive, the fighter will face a ban of varying lengths.