Dr. Neal ElAttrache, the lead team physician for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angeles Rams, met with Major League Baseball officials on Friday to discuss his involvement in the medical care of UFC fighter Conor McGregor. The meeting followed reports that the renowned surgeon provided support for McGregor’s use of therapeutic treatments involving substances prohibited under standard anti-doping protocols. According to a person familiar with the matter, MLB viewed the discussion as an informational inquiry rather than a formal investigation.
Why MLB Met With Dr. ElAttrache
Major League Baseball initiated the meeting to clarify the surgeon’s role after a New York Times report detailed his involvement in McGregor’s post-surgery recovery. Dr. ElAttrache, who performed a complex procedure on McGregor’s left leg in 2021 following a tibia and fibula fracture, acknowledged in a statement to the Los Angeles Times that he recommended consultations with specialists regarding bone healing.
ElAttrache stated he did not personally prescribe banned substances. He noted that he directed the fighter to experts for advice on "bone metabolism" but maintained that he remained uninvolved in the actual prescription process. The league has not announced any disciplinary action or formal findings following the conversation.
The Role of Therapeutic Use Exemptions
The controversy centers on a request for a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) that McGregor sought during his recovery. While ElAttrache confirmed he wrote a letter supporting the request, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA)—which oversaw the UFC’s drug testing program at the time—denied the application.
This denial marked a significant point of friction in combat sports. Following the rejection, McGregor withdrew from the UFC’s mandatory drug-testing pool. His subsequent physical transformation, characterized by significant muscle gain, drew scrutiny from fellow athletes and industry observers, including podcaster Joe Rogan and UFC fighter Anthony Smith, who questioned the timing of his departure from the testing pool.
Medical Oversight and Professional Standards
Dr. ElAttrache is a prominent figure in sports medicine, operating primarily out of the Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic. His patient list includes high-profile athletes such as Shohei Ohtani, Clayton Kershaw, Tom Brady, and Aaron Rodgers.
The medical community often distinguishes between "performance-enhancing" intent and "therapeutic" necessity, a line that became blurred in the public perception of McGregor’s case. McGregor’s manager, Audie Attar, defended the fighter’s medical team in a statement, asserting that the physicians oversaw a recovery from a "gruesome injury" using appropriately prescribed medicines. Attar further criticized the disclosure of the fighter’s medical records as a breach of privacy.
What Happens Next for the Involved Parties
While the NFL, the Rams, and the Dodgers have declined to comment on the situation, the scrutiny highlights the ongoing tension between aggressive injury recovery and anti-doping regulations.
- Status of Investigation: MLB officials characterize the interaction as informational. No formal disciplinary proceedings have been launched by the league.
- McGregor’s Standing: Following multiple "whereabouts" failures under the UFC’s anti-doping policy, McGregor faced an 18-month suspension that concluded in June. He remains eligible for future competition.
- Medical Oversight: Dr. ElAttrache continues his practice, maintaining that his record remains "completely clean" and that he has followed all rules and regulations in his treatment of athletes.
The intersection of elite surgical recovery and anti-doping policies remains a complex area, particularly as athletes seek to return from career-threatening injuries. The focus now shifts to whether governing bodies will implement stricter guidelines regarding the involvement of team physicians in external therapeutic consultations.