ACA president reveals majority of fighters using banned substances, clean athletes often short-notice replacements

ACA president Magomed Bibulatov candidly discussed the promotion's doping issues in an interview. He revealed that more fighters test positive for banned substances than test clean in the league. Bibulatov noted that fighters who accept bouts on short notice tend to be the cleanest, suggesting they haven't had time to use performance enhancers. The promotion gave fighters six months to clear their systems and allowed certain substances, but testing still revealed widespread violations. Bibulatov explained that implementing comprehensive drug testing is expensive and would require cooperation across all Russian MMA promotions, which he considers unlikely. The ACA president is considering year-long suspensions for violators but has not finalized a policy, and the organization may publicly release lists of fighters who have tested positive.