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Conor McGregor calls for Bellator to upgrade PED testing: ‘It is long overdue’

Former two-division UFC champion Conor McGregor thinks Bellator needs to implement a more comprehensive drug testing policy.

For better or worse, the UFC has had an enhanced drug testing policy for nearly half a decade through its partnership with the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). The system has received justifiable criticism over the years, but it has certainly clamped down on those trying to skirt the rules with performance-enhancing drugs.

Bellator, meanwhile, remained content with following state commission guidelines and has not implemented an enhanced policy with a third party like USADA. Bellator president Scott Coker has said repeatedly he holds faith in the regulatory bodies that oversee his events.

McGregor, however, said he would like to see the promotion widely considered to be No. 2 in the sport, step up its game. “The Notorious” has numerous SBG Ireland teammates who frequently compete under the Bellator banner, and he used a comment from women’s featherweight Sinead Kavanagh as a chance to make his plea for more testing (via Twitter):

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!

In the past, Coker has questioned the legitimacy of the UFC-USADA relationship. There have been instances where UFC fighters have been caught up in doping cases that have had questionable outcomes or procedures that are worthy of further investigation.

Coker told MMA Junkie in July 2019 that his preference would be to see a global sanctioning body come together that could regulate every organization evenly, but until something like that happens, he’s content with the current system.

“The way the UFC does it, you’re judge, jury and executioner, and I don’t think that works, because it’s a conflict of interest at that point,” Coker said. “Until there’s a federal body that comes in and regulates the sport, and does all the testing independently – truly independently – I think this is the right way to go.”

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