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WWE suspends TEN superstars

Posted: Aug 31st 2007 By: mikeiles

IN the most decisive move of its kind in the history of the wrestling business, the WWE have suspended many of their biggest name wrestlers for breaking drug rules.

The action came after the 10 men - allegedly including former world champions Edge and Randy Orton, ECW champ John Morrison, Brit William Regal and rising star Mr Kennedy - were identified as clients of Signature Pharmacy in Orlando.

That company was busted by cops in February for the distribution of steroids and other prescription drugs to clients who had not been examined by a doctor.

It has now been established that their 'patient' list included the 10 grapplers.

Former stars Chris Benoit, Brian 'Crush' Adams' and Eddie Guerrero were also clients - all are now dead.

Chris murdered his wife and seven-year-old son in June before committing suicide with experts blaming decades of steroid and painkiller use for his mental decline. Eddie died from heart failure, also linked to years to abuse.

Vince McMahon's company released an official statement saying: "Based on independent information received from investigators from the Albany County, NY D.A.'s office, WWE has today, under the penalty provisions of its Wellness Policy, issued suspension notices to 10 of its performers for violations.

"It has been WWE's practice not to release the names of those who have been suspended, but notice has been sent to all WWE performers that names of anyone who is suspended under the Wellness Policy as of November 1 will be made public."

Despite the company's unwillingness to reveal names at this point they have been leaked.

Sports Illustrated, who helped police with original bust, list the 10 as Mr Kennedy, Chavo Guerrero, Gregory Helms, Randy Orton, John Morrison, Shoichi Funaki, Charlie Haas, Umaga, William Regal and Edge.

These stars all received drugs from Signature Pharmacy ordered on the Internet after the WWE brought in their Wellness Policy in February 2006, which constitutes an automatic failure.

Batista, King Booker, Santino Marella and Chris Masters have also been named by the US press as using the company. Their orders were probably placed before February 2006 though, so they will not be suspended.

Simon Dean and Sylvan Grenier, both recently let go, were also said to be clients.

That means almost TWENTY current and recent WWE superstars have used the firm to purchase steroids and other drugs without seeing a doctor.

Ironically many of those suspended have recently gone on the record to claim both they and the wrestling business were clean of steroids.

Just last week, when we questioned him over the large number of drug-related deaths in the industry, Kennedy told The Sun: "I'd say we did have problems, because I honestly don't think we have those problems any more.

"And if you look at the list of guys that have passed away, they are all from that era where there was a rock star type of party atmosphere in the business."

Kennedy then claimed he had taken steroids but stopped when the WWE instituted their Wellness Policy and testing programme.

He added: "I stopped taking them and I had the biggest push of my life.

"I didn't take any steroids and that's the thing, nowadays, in our business, you don't have to take that stuff in order to get a push."

According to Sports Illustrated between October 2006 and February 2007, Kennedy actually received the steroid testosterone, growth hormone somatropin and anastrozole, which is used to counter the physical side-effects of steroid use.

The suspension of the wrestlers is the biggest move yet to stamp out steroid abuse in the industry.

But top US wrestling writer Dave Meltzer took a sceptical tone over the WWE's actions, noting: "Congress will be holding hearings about performance enhancing drug usage in pro wrestling at the end of the month.

"That likely at least partially explains the rash of suspensions, because the government likely had knowledge of who was on the list and if WWE didn't discipline those people, they'd get raked over the coals publicly for it."

In a story with the headline 'WWE wrestlers are so screwed this time', he added: "Based on the Sports Illustrated dates, the entire Policy's credibility is shot in the sense there were detectable drugs purchased by talent through Internet doctors, a practice banned."

Tags: WWE, Charlie Haas