Steroid probe rocks WWE
In a story reported right here this past Monday, a Sports Illustrated article linked several major WWE superstars to a series of government steroid investigations (for quotes from the SI article, click here). It was revealed that after documents were viewed by SI reporters Luis Fernando Llosa and L. Jon Wertheim, Dr. David Wilbirt of Arizona (who is under investigation from the DEA for writing 3,879 prescriptions for patients that requested drugs over the Internet) was linked with Kurt Angle, Eddie Guerrero, Oscar Gutierrez (Rey Mysterio), Randy Orton, Adam Copeland (Edge) and Shane Helms (Gregory Helms) and at least five other unnamed individuals.
Copeland and Helms were listed as receiving HGH (not anabolic steroids), while Guerrero was listed as having been billed and sent stanazol (Winstrol) and Gutierrez (Mysterio) for allegedly a prescription for nadrolone (Decadurabolin) and stanazol. Orton received prescriptions for six different drugs from the same two doctors that appeared in the story.
Dr. Wilbert, who license has already been suspended, stated that the wrestlers had blood work and lab work done before they came to see him. It should be noted that all of these documents came from 2004 and 2005, well before WWE enforced its new Wellness Drug Policy following the death of Guerrero in 2005. All of the drugs listed above are illegal under the WWE's current drug policy.
The aforementioned WWE wrestlers don't appear to be in any trouble as the government is attempting to shut down the distributors and not arrest the athletes. WWE's Vice President of Corporate Communications Gary Davis stated that the company policy does not allow for prescription drugs to be obtained from the Internet. SI attempted to get further comments from the wrestlers involved in this investigation, but Davis was the only person who spoke with them about the matter. However, WWE did issue this statement on WWE.com:
All of the allegations set forth in a recent SI.com article mentioning WWE predate the initiation of WWE's current Talent Wellness Program. This WWE program prohibits the use of performance enhancing drugs, as well as other prescription drugs which can be abused, if taken for other than a legitimate medical purpose pursuant to a valid prescription from a licensed and treating physician. For purposes of WWE's policy, prescriptions obtained over the Internet and/or from suppliers of prescription drugs from the Internet are not considered to have been given for a legitimate medical purpose.
Although the Wellness Policy was put into effect after these alleged transactions occurred, the story is getting major media coverage. The Associated Press has picked up the SI.com article, which means that the article will be featured all over the place over the next few days. Many major outlets including FOX News, MSNBC, CNN, and ESPN have already covered the story. Colin Cowherd talked in detail on the subject yesterday on ESPN Radio, including nearly ten minutes on the passing of Eddie Guerrero in 2005.
PWInsider.com reports that there were quite a few Wellness tests given backstage at last night's ECW/Smackdown taping in Cleveland, Ohio. One source estimated over two dozen WWE performers were given urine tests that afternoon. Since WWE doesn't give talent advance notice, there's no way to know whether the testing was already planned. However it does seem likely that the tests were administered due to all the media attention.
Keep visiting this space for more on this story.