USADA reveals Conor McGregor needs to be in the testing pool for six months before being cleared: “McGregor is not enrolled in our testing pool”

USADA has issued a statement saying Conor McGregor needs to be in the testing pool for six months before being cleared to fight.

It has been reported that McGregor is no longer in the USADA testing pool which has caught many by surprise. However, the Irishman has said he will be cleared to fight in February as he has a special exemption from USADA.

“I am clear for testing in February. I will complete my two tests per USADA and we are booking a fight,” McGregor tweeted.

Although Conor McGregor said he will be cleared in February, that appears to not be the case. On Saturday night, USADA told ESPN that McGregor is not in the testing pool. With that, he will need to be in the pool for six months before he fights.

“McGregor is not enrolled in our testing pool and would have to be for six months unless an exception is granted, which we do not think would be applicable,” USADA director of communications Averi Walker told ESPN in an e-mail.

McGregor, meanwhile, was also the only athlete on the UFC’s active roster prior to Aug. 1, 2022, who had not been tested in 2022 by USADA, according to a report done by TSN’s Aaron Bronsteter. Yet, he is ranked 14th at lightweight and when a fighter leaves USADA they are also removed from the rankings, which isn’t the case here.

Conor McGregor (22-6) is on a two-fight losing skid after losing both fights by stoppage to Dustin Poirier. In his last fight, he suffered a broken leg and has been rehabbing it. The Irishman’s last win came by first-round TKO over Donald Cerrone at UFC 246. The fight marked his return to the sport after losing to Khabib Nurmagomedov by submission for the lightweight title.

What do you make of USADA’s statement about Conor McGregor?