Conor McGregor Says Ryan Garcia Should Have ‘Lifetime Ban’ After Positive PED Test

Andrew PetersMay 3, 2024

Samir Hussein/WireImage

After boxer Ryan Garcia tested positive for the performance-enhancing substance ostarine ahead of his upset win over Devin Haney, Conor McGregor gave his thoughts on the situation on social media.

McGregor said that he believes Garcia should receive a lifetime ban for using performance-enhancing drugs.

“Cheated the weight and was juiced, lifetime ban,” McGregor wrote in a post on X. “Sad to see, sad to say. Sad and a bit sick. Don’t come near me if I see you ever Ryan Garcia. I am actually disgusted.”

While Garcia’s urine samples were collected before the fight last month, the results weren’t known until later. He tested positive for ostarine the day before and the day of the fight, which he won via a majority decision.

After his tests were revealed, Garcia posted a video on X defending himself.

“Everybody knows that I don’t cheat,” Garcia said in the video. “Never taken a steroid. … I don’t even know where to get steroids. … I barely take supplements. Big lies, I beat his ass.”

While Garcia has a 25-1 professional boxing record, he has never won a world title. The 25-year-old was not eligible to claim the world super lightweight title in last month’s fight because he did not meet the 140-pound weight needed to do so. Garcia weighed in at 143.2 pounds ahead of the fight.

In a statement to ESPN, Haney responded to Garcia’s positive tests, saying that it’s “unfortunate” he used performance-enhancing drugs and he “owes the fans an apology.”

“We learned about this situation not too long ago and it’s unfortunate Ryan cheated and disrespected both the fans and the sport of boxing by fighting dirty and breaking positive not once, but twice,” Haney said. “…Ryan owes the fans an apology, and by his recent tweet he still thinks this is a joke. We put our lives on the line to entertain people for a living. You don’t play boxing. This puts the fight in a completely different light. Despite the disadvantage, I still fought on my shield and got back up! People die in this sport. This isn’t a joking matter.”

It’s unclear at this point what kind of repercussions Garcia will face, but McGregor believes he shouldn’t be able to fight in the WBC.