Another note on the Wellness Policy

Just one more note on the WWE’s drug testing policy. Most cynical people say stuff like, “Yeah, well when are we going to see guys like Triple H, Batista, and John Cena get their random drug test?” First off, of that threesome, in particular I’m not convinced that Cena is using any illegal substances. The guy is a freak of nature who practically lives in a gym, and while his body is absolutely huge, he doesn’t show a lot of the traditional warning signs. He’s not ultra veiny, he’s not covered with acne, and while he did suffer a pec tear, his muscles are remained more or less injury-free.

Triple H and Batista…I don’t know. But then again, Funaki failed a drug test, so I think that shows us that you can never quite be sure who is using and who is not. But the point I want to make is that there is a precedent here. There are COUNTLESS examples of WWE suspending somebody in the midst of a major push or title run. Here are some examples:

Jeff Hardy, in the middle of a very successful Intercontinental title run and is poised to win Money in the Bank, is suspended weeks before WrestleMania. He’s forced to drop the title and is kept off of the WrestleMania card completely.

John Morrison, in the middle of an ECW title reign, is suspended. He’s forced to drop the title.

Mr. Kennedy, poised to be revealed as the illegitimate son of Vince McMahon, which would lead to the biggest storyline of his career which would be the centerpiece of the company for several months, is suspended just before the big reveal.

William Regal, General Manager of Raw and recently-crowned King of the Ring, is suspended. This puts an end to one of the strongest pushes of his career. He was also “fired” as General Manager.

Rey Mysterio, in the midst of an Intercontinental title reign, is suspended. He’s forced to drop the title.

Rob Van Damm, who carried BOTH the WWE and ECW Championship, in the middle of the biggest push of his career, and in a storyline that is carrying the newly formed ECW brand, is suspended. He’s forced to drop both titles.

So I don’t know, maybe Triple H and Batista (and others) are being protected, but based on the list above, I don’t see what they gain from that. Hell, why NOT suspend Batista if he failed a drug test? The guy injures himself enough that they know they can survive without him (or hell, give him the test when he’s got nagging injuries), so they really don’t have anything to lose. If the examples above doesn’t convince people, then maybe an honest to goodness main eventer will help a little.

I'm not saying it's a flawless system, as improvements can be made, but also keep in mind that over the four years or so, loads of improvements HAVE been made to the policy. And while the list of dead young wrestlers is indeed a depressing sight, who knows how many have been saved because of this policy.