In brief, sure the UFC may transfer to ban McGregor from combating within the promotion.
The UFC’s Athlete Conduct Policy, external offers tips on behaviour the organisation expects from its fighters.
It says athletes shouldn’t interact in behaviour which might “mirror negatively upon or deliver disrepute, contempt, scandal, ridicule, or disdain to the athlete or UFC”.
It provides that sanctions could also be imposed on fighters who interact in misconduct, itemizing quite a few examples, together with “violent, threatening or harassing habits, bullying, assault, home violence, sexual harassment and different sexual misconduct”.
Though the UFC has imposed sanctions on athletes earlier than for violating the coverage, examples are sparse and disciplinary actions are extra usually linked to the game, relatively than a fighter’s behaviour away from the octagon.
Jon Jones was punished by the UFC on two separate events in 2015, together with being fined £19,500 for taking cocaine, whereas he was later suspended and stripped of his light-heavyweight title for his half in a hit-and-run incident.
One of the vital current occasions the UFC imposed sanctions was in December 2022, when it released Darrick Minner and warned fighters against training with coach James Krause, external after the pair allegedly violated its betting guidelines, pending an investigation by the Nevada State Athletic Fee (NSAC).
The UFC later confirmed fighter Jeff Molina was suspended as a part of the identical investigation, which remains to be ongoing.
In the meantime, McGregor has escaped punishment by the UFC quite a few occasions through the years for behaviour which may very well be deemed to violate its coverage.
In 2018 McGregor injured a number of fighters by throwing a steel dolly right into a bus. He was not punished by the UFC however was ordered to perform five days of community service by a US courtroom.
Months later McGregor was involved in a large-scale brawl contained in the octagon following defeat by Khabib Nurmagomedov. Once more, the UFC didn’t sanction the Irishman, however he was suspended for six months and fined by the NSAC.
Final 12 months, White was not punished by the UFC after a video emerged of him in a bodily altercation along with his spouse, whereas quite a few fighters have escaped sanctions for utilizing homophobic slurs and for being concerned in brawls away from combating.
No public motion was taken towards Jorge Masvidal when he punched British fighter Leon Edwards backstage at an occasion in 2019.
The UFC’s disciplinary course of is basically at its personal discretion and the promotion usually leaves exterior points to be handled by the authorities or state athletic commissions overseeing its occasions.
Nonetheless, different main American sports activities do frequently sanction athletes for actions away from the game.
The NFL made sweeping modifications to its private conduct coverage in 2021 to incorporate punishments for conduct away from the game, together with home violence and sexual assault.
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson was banned for 11 games in 2022 after quite a few ladies accused him of sexual assault.
