When the Fit Hits the Shan...

As part of an ongoing steroid investigation into an alleged distribution network in Florida, Sports Illustrated has published a new article which names a whole lot more names than their first article did. Whereas the first article hit on a few big-time athletes with only the one wrestling connection (being Kurt Angle), this time…hoo boy, the names are flying.

Among the wrestlers implicated in the story:

-Eddie Guerrero (whose death in 2005, it was widely reported, was partially due to steroid use)
-Rey Mysterio
-Randy Orton
-Edge
-Gregory Helms (a/k/a The Hurricane)

Quoting the PWInsider.com article which links this source, “To say that this is not good for WWE would be a monumental understatement.”

No kidding.

Ever since last year’s WrestleMania, WWE has been instituting a “Wellness Program” wherein steroids and other illegal performance enhancing substances have been banned, and those on the payroll who tested positive faced some strict penalties. Around the time of WrestleMania, it must be said, many of the talents started getting noticeably smaller, which gave the impression that the testing program was, in fact, having the desired effect.

In recent months, however, talents have been getting noticeably bigger again. Wrestlers who had dropped quite a bit of weight began putting it back on again. In addition, whereas in the first few months there were several cases of health issues coming to light and causing WWE talents to be removed from PPV cards, there have been a surprising lack of reports about Wellness Program findings in recent months. Only one wrestler has been openly suspended for a “violation of the Wellness Policy” since the beginning of 2007, and he was a supporting player on the ECW brand.

I seriously, seriously hope that WWE’s attitude toward the policy will not continue its apparent trend of relative disinterest in the days to come. And not just because of some Sports Illustrated story and the resulting media firestorm that will follow. But because it’s the right thing to do. Far too many people are leaving us far too soon to not do something about it. The Wellness Policy is a good step. But it is meaningless if it is not enforced regularly, and with blinders on to some of the talents.

But Vince thinks big guys = ratings. He’s shown that for years. So as much as I’d like to think things will change, I cannot help but think as long as Vince McMahon is at the helm of the wrestling industry, there is little reason to think it will, Sports Illustrated or no.