ACA president Magomed Bibulatov gave a candid interview about doping control in the league, revealing that more fighters use performance-enhancing drugs than compete clean. Bibulatov stated that fighters who accept bouts on short notice are typically clean because they "don't have time to use anything." He explained that ACA gave fighters six months to clear their systems and allowed some approved substances, but testing showed violations remain widespread. The organization has data on all fighters' usage levels but is uncertain how to handle violators, considering one-year suspensions. Bibulatov noted that comprehensive testing is expensive and suggested Russian promotions should unite to address the issue, though he considers this unlikely. He emphasized that short-notice replacement fighters have been the cleanest athletes tested in ACA.
The president of ACA (Absolute Championship Akhmat) has offered a striking admission about the state of doping inside the Russian-based promotion, stating publicly that more fighters on the roster are using performance-enhancing drugs than competing clean.
Magomed Bibulatov made the remarks in a candid interview, painting a picture of a doping problem that persists despite the organization's testing efforts. He revealed that ACA gave fighters a six-month window to clear their systems ahead of testing and permitted certain approved substances during that period, yet violations continued at a widespread rate. The organization, he said, holds data on usage levels across the roster but remains uncertain how to respond to those who have tested positive, with one-year suspensions being considered as a potential penalty.
Why it matters
- ACA's own leadership is publicly acknowledging that doping is the norm rather than the exception within the promotion
- The admission raises serious questions about the credibility of competition results inside the organization
- Bibulatov suggested Russian promotions should cooperate to share the financial burden of comprehensive testing, but described such collaboration as unlikely
- Short-notice replacement fighters have emerged as the cleanest athletes in ACA's testing pool, simply because they lack the preparation time to use banned substances
Bibulatov's comments on short-notice fighters are particularly telling. He framed their cleanliness not as a matter of principle but of circumstance, noting that fighters accepting late replacement bouts simply do not have time to use anything. That observation alone underscores how normalized doping has apparently become within scheduled competition.
The cost of comprehensive testing was cited as a central obstacle, with Bibulatov indicating that the financial demands of rigorous anti-doping programs are difficult for a single promotion to absorb. Whether ACA moves forward with formal suspensions or broader testing infrastructure remains an open question following his remarks.
