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September 4, 2007
WRESTLER SUSPENSIONS COULD BE THE BEGINNING OF THE END FOR WWE When the tragedy that was Chris Benoit (he killed his son, his wife and then himself) occurred it began a series of investigations that culminated in ten wrestlers recently being suspended by the World Wrestling Entertainment for substance abuse. This is simply the next step of an increased urgency by the federal government looking into an organization and a “show” that has long been accused of steroid abuse. Subsequent steps could see further suspensions of wrestlers, indictments of those involved in the sale of the illegal substances and perhaps indictments against some of the organizational bigwigs if wrestlers turn against the WWE to save themselves from jail. This could be the beginning of the end for the big-time show-tainment that was professional wrestling. WWE officials met with New York prosecutors investigating illegal steroid sales earlier this month. Albany County District Attorney P. David Soares' office has said that Benoit and other WWE wrestlers had been clients of Signature Pharmacy of Orlando, Florida. Benoit had a steroid and other drugs in his system at the time of his death and was under close investigation into the sale and the use of steroids when he, supposedly overwhelmed with paranoid delusions, suffocated his son, killed his wife and then hanged himself. The government agency looking into steroid abuse took a major hit when it was discovered that Benoit was under surveillance at the time of the tragedy and that the agency chose not to arrest him in hopes that he would lead them up the line to dealers. The agency believed that Benoit was not a danger—to himself or anyone else. This horrific miscalculation has created urgency within the government to cut off any ties between known dealers and the wrestlers—these suspensions are merely the tip of the iceberg. Under the WWE wellness
policy begun last year, which requires tests for steroids and other drugs, a
wrestler faces a 30-day suspension without pay for a first violation, a 60-day
suspension for a second violation and firing for a third violation. Performers
are tested at least four times per year. The issue becomes—how rampant was steroid abuse in the WWE? Any fan can look at the bodies of the performers and realize that the large sculpted figures that play on the fantasy sequence of the show are not naturally created. Hulk Hogan, the man who revolutionized the show by being bigger and meaner than anyone else, was a big-time steroid user and subsequently it has been discovered that many of those involved in the show at the same time were also artificially enhanced. There is little doubt that steroid use and abuse goes far beyond ten wrestlers (the WWE has 160 wrestlers) and could lead deeper into the organization and possibly right up to the top—Vince McMahon—who had to know about (and possibly encouraged) the steroid usage. When WWE spokesperson Davis utters the public comment that the organization is actively looking to eradicate steroids from its business and will do whatever they can to assist the government this is simply a public profile that flies against their best interests. In the aftermath of the Benoit tragedy the WWE quickly released a statement that steroids had nothing to do with the killings and that the organization was unaware of any usage by any of its performers. That statement was obviously a lie. "When our investigation into the illegal sale and distribution of controlled substances began, my office enlisted the assistance of World Wrestling Entertainment after a number of their wrestlers appeared on customer lists of clinics connected with Signature Pharmacy," Soares said. The Benoit case
prompted the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee to ask WWE to turn
over any information it has on steroid and drug abuse in pro wrestling. The
committee has not yet scheduled a hearing on the case. Subsequent to that date there will be more names revealed and more suspensions handed out. That could lead to possible indictments and perhaps some jail time for those involved in the business. With the popularity of the UFC growing quickly and substantially the great majority of fantasy sho-tainment fans could move away from the stained world of pro wrestling and leave the formerly multi-billion dollar business in financial ruin. Soon enough professional wrestling could return to the smaller arenas, with smaller fan bases watching smaller athlete/entertainers. The era of the biggest and the baddest could soon end for the WWE.
Preview my new fictional novel A Walking Parody at www.michaelghobson.com Follow my weekly sports commentary at 8:20 am Saturday at www.team990.com Listen to my weekly guest appearance Friday nights on Norm Rumack's show at www.fan590.com
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