ACA president Magomed Bibulatov provided candid insights into doping control within the league during an interview. He stated that more fighters use performance-enhancing drugs than are clean, and noted that short-notice replacements are typically the cleanest athletes because "they didn't have time to apply anything." Bibulatov explained that ACA began testing fighters after giving them six months to clear their systems, and allowed certain permitted substances. While they have data on which fighters violate rules, he is unsure how to proceed with punishments, initially considering one-year suspensions. He emphasized that effective anti-doping measures require expensive laboratory testing and staff, and would ideally involve collaboration across all Russian promotions, though he doubts other leagues will participate.
The president of ACA has admitted publicly that the majority of fighters competing in the promotion are using banned performance-enhancing substances, offering a candid look at the state of anti-doping enforcement inside one of Russia's premier MMA organizations.
Magomed Bibulatov made the remarks during a recent interview, stating plainly that more athletes in ACA are using drugs than are competing clean. He offered an unusual observation to illustrate the scale of the problem: fighters brought in on short notice tend to be among the cleanest on the roster simply because they had no time to use anything before stepping into competition.
Bibulatov revealed that ACA introduced testing only after giving fighters a six-month window to clear prohibited substances from their systems, and that certain permitted substances were also allowed during the transition period. He acknowledged the promotion already holds data identifying which athletes have violated the rules, but expressed uncertainty over how to handle discipline. Initial consideration was given to one-year suspensions, though no definitive policy has been announced.
Why it matters
- The admission from an organization president that doping is widespread raises serious questions about competitive integrity across Russian MMA.
- Bibulatov indicated that meaningful anti-doping work demands expensive laboratory infrastructure and dedicated personnel, resources that remain a significant barrier.
- He called for a unified anti-doping framework spanning all Russian promotions, while acknowledging he doubts rival organizations will agree to participate.
- Without cross-promotional cooperation, fighters suspended by one league could potentially continue competing elsewhere, undermining any enforcement effort ACA undertakes on its own.
The remarks represent a rare moment of institutional transparency on a subject that most promotions avoid addressing openly, and place pressure on ACA to follow its acknowledgment of the problem with concrete disciplinary action.
