Major League Baseball Investigates Dodgers Physician Over Conor McGregor's Banned Substance Use
Los Angeles, Friday, 12 June 2026.
Major League Baseball is investigating the Dodgers’ elite team physician after revelations surfaced that he backed UFC star Conor McGregor’s use of banned substances during his 2021 injury recovery.
The High-Stakes Business of Elite Recovery
At the intersection of modern sports and high finance sit the medical professionals tasked with protecting billion-dollar athletic assets [GPT]. Dr. Neal ElAttrache is a cornerstone of this industry, boasting a 35-year career treating some of the most valuable players in professional sports [2]. Serving as the head team physician for both the Los Angeles Dodgers and the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams, who won the Super Bowl in 2022, his influence spans multiple massive sports markets [1][4]. His surgical portfolio is a testament to his elite status, having performed career-saving procedures on Tom Brady in 2008, Kobe Bryant in 2013, Aaron Rodgers in 2023, and Shohei Ohtani in both 2018 and 2024 [2].
The McGregor Connection and League Due Diligence
The current inquiry was triggered by a report published by The New York Times on Thursday, June 11, 2026 [1][4]. During a 2021 bout, UFC fighter Conor McGregor suffered a catastrophic injury, breaking both bones in his lower left leg [1][4]. Following the injury, Dr. ElAttrache oversaw McGregor’s corrective surgery [1][4]. According to the reports, Dr. ElAttrache subsequently referred the fighter to a specialist who prescribed banned performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) and penned a letter supporting McGregor’s request for an exemption from UFC drug policies [2]. Ultimately, McGregor was pulled from the UFC testing pool and reportedly utilized the PEDs without officially obtaining the requested exemption [2].
Denials, Drug Policies, and Institutional Silence
Dr. ElAttrache has publicly distanced himself from the direct administration of the banned substances. He clarified to The New York Times that he purposely avoided involvement in McGregor’s evaluation by the consultant or the actual prescribing of the medication [1]. He maintained that the “expert opinions” McGregor received indicated the treatment could optimize the healing of his severe fractures [1]. Despite the controversy surrounding their head team physician, as of June 11, 2026, the National Football League (NFL) had not responded to inquiries regarding whether they plan to investigate or interview the doctor [3][4][5].