Beneil Dariush has raised suspicions about Conor McGregor’s decision to remove himself from the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) drug testing pool. The fighter has accused McGregor of foul play and cheating, suggesting that his absence from the pool could be an attempt to evade testing and gain an unfair advantage in his fights. Dariush’s comments have sparked controversy and raised questions about the importance of rigorous drug testing in combat sports.
McGregor hasn’t been tested by USADA since breaking his leg in a TKO defeat to Dustin Poirier in the summer of 2021. In order to compete again — with an expected fight against Michael Chandler on the horizon — he has to re-enter the pool for six months and have two negative tests.
The Irishman, however, claimed he just required two negative tests and wouldn’t need to wait six months ahead of a meeting with USADA — something the agency would later refute.
Meanwhile, some observers believe the Irishman used his time away from the testing pool to use steroids and help expedite his recovery from a broken leg. Social media posts from McGregor throughout the last two years showing a jacked up physique have also led to suspicions he’s using steroids for more than just his recovery.
All in all, Dariush believes the whole situation is suspicious.
“I think Conor is cheating,” Dariush said in an interview with The Schmo (via MMA Junkie). “In reality, if you want to fix your knee or you want to fix your leg and get certain growth hormones or whatever he’s doing, you can get a therapeutic exemption. You can speak to USADA and get a therapeutic exemption – but you can’t add extra stuff. Whatever you are putting in, you have to declare with them and get it figured out.
“This is BS, to be honest with you. The fact that they say, ‘Oh, while he’s doing this, he’s not getting tested right now because of his leg.’ No – you can still get tested. You just have to declare and say, ‘Hey, this was a therapeutic exemption.’ But that’s not the case (with McGregor). He even put down ‘retirement’ (on forms), so he went into retirement, I guess. USADA recently said when you come out of retirement, you need six months and two clean tests. So this is garbage. But that’s the game.”
As things stand, there is still no update on Conor McGregor’s situation with the drug testing pool and when he will eventually make his return to action.
Dariush, meanwhile, faces former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira in the co-main event of UFC 288 which takes place May 6 in Newark, New Jersey.
The winner of that fight will more than likely be next in line to challenge current champion Islam Makhachev for the title.
