I'm not a doctor. I don't know - Vince McMahon on whether he knew if there are health risks from steroid use.
After the tragedy involving Chris Benoit last year Congress decided to start looking into steroid use in wrestling. A report on the investigation was released today. Some highlights include:
40% of WWE talents tested positive for steroids and other drugs despite being aware they would be tested when the company instituted their "Wellness Policy."
Despite being a performer within his own company, Waxman noted WWE's Vince McMahon is not subject to the WWE's Wellness Policy testing procedures. Waxman noted McMahon would not comment on his own steroid use and claimed not to know of the damages brought on by long-term steroid use, claiming he was "not a doctor."
[The above were copied off of http://www.pwinsider.com/ViewArticle.php?id=35587&p=1 which took the information from http://oversight.house.gov/documents/20090102115117.pdf as full disclosure as it were]
There are a lot of other facts but those two really stuck out as well as the fact that Benoit tested positive 3 out of 4 times he was tested and there is nothing that shows WWE trying to help him.
I am torn on this matter. Much like in Baseball I don't care if the performers or athletes use the drugs but at the same I care only because I don't want these men and women risking their health for my enjoyment. I would much rather have Benoit and his family alive and had a smaller less muscled Benoit in the ring all those years. I would rather have Curt Hennig alive and wrestling then him overdose on cocaine because of the stress that goes with the sport entertainment world.
Wait that isn't fair either. The business isn't to blame entirely either. Sure Vince and the promoters have their level of guilt in it. They are the ones that push these guys to their limits and then throw them away when they have out lived their usefulness. But as far as I know at no point did he give Benoit the needle or Hennig the bag of crack or Sabu and Rob Van Dam the bag of weed or anything else. Drugs are illegal and I am not trying to say that they should be forgiven. Should they be stopped with drugs they should be arrested like anyone else.
However what will happen should the government get involved? Baseball isn't any better or worse after their deal with the gov. They still have guys using 'roids to get ahead. They still have guys using other drugs for other reasons as well.
My question to the government would be what will you do now? Will you take over the testing? Right now WWE allows performers to still compete on TV without pay and pay per views with pay should storyline need it. I understand this. You can't stop a storyline for 30 or 60 days without fans being confused and wrestling has a huge lack of continuity without having this problem.
Perhaps a solution would be to force the performer to come out and admit what he did live on Raw or the PPV and explain to the people who help pay their wages why the storyline that people have an emotional investment into has to leave. That might stop some.
Hell WWE recently put the Heavyweight title on Jeff Hardy who has failed two tests within the last two years I believe. I believe this is because the fans still support him so does it matter? As an entertainment company they have to give the fans what they want to keep them paying and viewing.
Does it all really matter? Are they going to test actors next? After all that is all WWE entertainers are.
Overall it is an interesting read as a follower of the business but I doubt anything major will come of it. Perhaps it is time for wrestling it come out of the dark ages and admit it has problems. The McMahon's have controlled everything for so long its like the mafia and they were brought down several times by the gov. Perhaps Vincent Kennedy McMahon is next.
Until next time....ABYSSINIA!!
