Following a meeting with Dr. Neal El-Atrache last week, Major League Baseball has stated it has “no concerns” regarding the treatment of players by the orthopedic surgeon based in Los Angeles.
This conversation came after a New York Times article revealed that UFC star Conor McGregor had backed the therapeutic use of performance-enhancing drugs during his recovery from a severe leg fracture. Dr. El-Atrache was the one who performed the surgery on McGregor’s leg, which was injured in a fight back in 2021.
El-Atrache, who also serves as the attending physician for the Dodgers and Rams, denied any allegations of misconduct. He clarified that he did not prescribe the controversial drug to McGregor but rather wrote a letter “in support of an application for a special exemption allowing the use of performance-enhancing drugs without penalty.” This distinction seems quite important.
“Many ‘banned drugs’ are crucial for treating various conditions,” El-Atrache remarked to the Times. “It’s misleading to act as though these substances have no legitimate medical applications, with therapeutic use exemption applications existing precisely for this reason.”
A respected figure in the medical field, El-Atrache has pioneered surgical techniques that significantly reduce recovery times for athletes. His patient list boasts names like Kobe Bryant, Tom Brady, and Shohei Ohtani. Recently, he used a new medical device, the NanoNeedle Scope 2.0, to remove a loose body from Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell’s elbow. Remarkably, Snell returned to pitching just two and a half weeks post-surgery.
In its official statement, MLB noted: “We take our responsibility seriously and have thoroughly assessed this matter. Our interview with Dr. El-Atrache covered various topics, and he addressed our inquiries comprehensively. Based on our review, which included his extensive history of collaboration with the Collaborative Drug Program, we have no concerns surrounding this issue.” It seems like they’re moving on from this topic.
