ACA president Magomed Bibulatov has candidly discussed doping issues within his organization. He stated that more fighters use banned substances than compete clean, and noted that replacement fighters on short notice are typically the cleanest because they don't have time to use anything. Bibulatov explained that the league gave fighters six months to clean their systems and allowed certain approved substances. The promotion has data on which fighters use more or fewer banned substances. He mentioned that suspending violators for one year is being considered, but acknowledged that comprehensive testing is expensive and would ideally require cooperation across all Russian promotions, which he considers unlikely.
Absolute Championship Akhmat president Magomed Bibulatov has made a striking public admission about doping inside his organization, stating openly that more fighters on the ACA roster use banned substances than compete clean.
Speaking candidly on the subject, Bibulatov acknowledged the scale of the problem while offering an unusual observation: fighters who step in on short notice tend to be the cleanest competitors on the card, simply because they have no time to take anything before the bout.
Bibulatov said the promotion gave athletes a six-month window to clear their systems and has permitted certain approved substances during that transition period. He added that ACA holds internal data tracking which fighters use more or fewer prohibited substances, suggesting the organization has a clearer picture of the problem than it has previously let on publicly.
Why it matters
- The admission from a sitting promotion president is rare and unusually direct, putting doping culture in Russian MMA under fresh scrutiny.
- Bibulatov floated one-year suspensions for violators as a possible deterrent, but stopped short of announcing a firm policy.
- Comprehensive testing, he conceded, would require cooperation across all major Russian promotions — something he considers unlikely to materialize.
- Without cross-promotional coordination, any unilateral ACA testing program risks pushing fighters toward rival organizations rather than cleaning up the sport.
Bibulatov framed the cost of rigorous testing as a significant barrier, indicating that meaningful enforcement remains more of an aspiration than an imminent reality. The comments leave the promotion in the uncomfortable position of having documented knowledge of widespread substance use while lacking, by its own president's account, the infrastructure or industry-wide backing to address it effectively.
