ACA president Magomed Bubulatov made candid admissions about drug testing in his organization during an interview. He stated that more fighters compete on performance-enhancing drugs than compete clean within the promotion. Bubulatov revealed that fighters who accept bouts on short notice are typically clean because they "didn't have time to apply anything." The organization gave fighters six months to clean their systems and implemented testing, but enforcement remains uncertain. Bubulatov acknowledged that comprehensive drug testing is expensive and suggested Russian promotions should collaborate on testing infrastructure, though he considers this unlikely. He indicated that the league is still deciding how to handle fighters who fail tests, with one-year suspensions being considered.
Magomed Bubulatov, president of the Absolute Championship Akhmat, has made striking admissions about the scale of performance-enhancing drug use inside his organization, stating openly that more fighters compete on PEDs than compete clean.
Bubulatov offered a candid look at the promotion's testing challenges during a recent interview. He revealed that fighters who accept bouts on short notice are typically among the cleanest competitors on the roster, reasoning that they simply did not have enough time to use substances before the fight. The comment offers an unusually blunt window into how widespread the problem is believed to be at one of Russia's largest MMA promotions.
According to Bubulatov, ACA gave fighters a six-month window to clear their systems before implementing testing. However, he acknowledged that actual enforcement remains uncertain, and the organization is still working through how to respond when a fighter fails a test. One-year suspensions are among the options being considered.
Why it matters
- Bubulatov's admissions raise serious questions about the integrity of past and future ACA competition results.
- The promotion has not established a clear, consistent penalty structure for positive tests, leaving enforcement in a gray area.
- Bubulatov acknowledged that comprehensive testing is expensive and called for Russian promotions to collaborate on shared testing infrastructure, though he described that outcome as unlikely.
The remarks put ACA in an uncomfortable spotlight at a time when drug testing standards in combat sports are under increasing scrutiny globally. Without a funded, independent testing body and a firm sanctioning framework, the promotion's stated commitment to clean competition will be difficult to verify or enforce.
