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Headline Analysis
Headline: The Pro Wrestling Industry's Tipping Point: Wheels set in motion in ways that could lead to dramatic change
By Wade Keller, Torch editor
Originally Published: September 8, 2007
PWTorch Newsletter #988

This may turn out to be the most pivotal week in the pro wrestling industry's history. Those words aren't written lightly. A case can be made that this week will be looked back upon as the point of no return for major change unlike anything forced on the industry in the past. It's almost too much to take in and comprehend all in one week.

-Congressional Hearings Scheduled: The New York Daily reports that Congress is in the midst of setting a date for hearings on Capitol Hill for pro wrestling. The decision was made after Congress was clearly nonplussed by WWE's response to their detailed request for information. In fact, Rep. Cliff Stearns said WWE didn't even send them a copy of their Wellness Policy.

-WWE's Wellness Policy Exposed: For the 12 month period following the launch of WWE's Wellness Policy, more than a dozen WWE wrestlers were named by major media entities as ordering and receiving drugs from an online pharmacy. Some of the drugs were banned by WWE and supposedly tested for - at least according to the original draft of the policy, which WWE has said numerous times in the past two months has been modified over time.

-A Dozen Suspensions: WWE suspended around a dozen wrestlers once word got out through media reports of names of performers who purchased drugs from an online pharmacy being investigated by the government. Of those dozen, only one had been suspended before. That meant that all but one had never tested positive under WWE's Wellness Policy, despite many of them reportedly purchasing drugs on the banned substance list. The wrestlers were suspended because WWE prohibits purchasing of drugs through online pharmacies. Those named in media reports as being customers were: Adam Copeland (Edge); King Booker (Robert Huffman); Shane Helms; Mike Bucci; Anthony Carelli (Santino Marella); John Hennigan (John Morrison); Darren Matthews (William Regal); Ken Anderson (Ken Kennedy); Chavo Guerrero; Randy Orton; Charlie Haas; Shoichi Funaki; Dave Bautista (Batista); Chris Mordetsky (Chris Masters); Chris Benoit; Eddie Guerrero; Brian Adams. Three of them are dead. Batista has vehemently denied he was ever a customer. He was named only by ESPN, not by Sports Illustrated or the New York Daily News, the two other major mainstream media entities who broke news on this story.

-Congressman Says WWE Policy "Not Worth a Flip": WWE's self-vaunted policy was called out as being fraudulent or ineffective or however one interprets the phrase "not worth a flip." Pointing to the fact that wrestlers were buying drugs while the policy was in effect, Rep. Stearns bluntly expressed his conclusion. He'll have chance to ask tough questions to the industry's powerbrokers directly either in late September or October.

-Growth Hormone Exposed: With all the talk of "steroids" in the generic sense, the dirty little secret of pro wrestling was how much growth hormone was being abused under the guise of "alternative medicine wellness." HGH (human growth hormone) is used as a muscle-enhancement drug, in combination usually with testosterone and insulin, to experience a massive gain in muscle size while melting away any signs of bodyfat. It also happens to be very expensive. Sources in wrestling say online it's about half the price of what a local clinic charges. WWE attorney Jerry McDevitt said on Fox News that there is no reliable test for growth hormone, in essence admitting there is no way for WWE to truly say it's roster is "clean," especially when insulin isn't tested for (it can't be) and testosterone is often considered medically justified.

-Benoit Brain Damage: Chris Benoit's father, Michael Benoit, revealed that his late son had severe brain damage from his years in the ring. Repeated untreated concussions and blunt force to his head lead to diminished cognitive capacity and may have triggered depression and violence. He declared it on ABC's "Good Morning America" and a network news show of record, "Nightline," on Wednesday night this week. He will be on CNN's "Larry King Live" on Thursday night. He has opened a whole new can of worms that could force major change on how the pro wrestling industry operates that dwarfs the steroid controversy. It won't take the government to come down on pro wrestling; it will be the wives and girlfriends and children and parents of pro wrestlers who will demand a career change if they believe they could be the next victim once the cumulative effects of brain trauma begins surfacing among other wrestlers. It's already attributed to numerous suicides by NFL players. Concussions must be taken more seriously. There is too much at stake, as the effects of concussions cannot be reversed, and all it takes is three to have permanent long-term negative impact on quality of life. There is simply no way for WWE to claim to have the best interests of its performers in mind without bringing a full-time specialist in recognizing and treating concussions on the road full time. That is one area where wrestlers and promoters cannot be trusted to police themselves as...

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