Randy Orton Fails Drug Test, Not Suspended

Randy Orton Fails Drug Test, Not Suspended

Source: The Wrestling Observer

Randy Orton is the first WWE wrestler to fail a drug test under the WWE Talent Wellness Program's new guidelines – which recently went into effect. Despite his failure in a recent drug test, he will not be pulled off the road. He will continue to appear on both TV and PPV shows, but as a general rule, he is not supposed to appear on house shows for 30 days. Orton didn't appear at any house shows this weekend. For that matter, he hasn't appeared at a house show in about a month.

Under the old guidelines, Orton would have been taken off the road for 30 days due to suspension. Also, he would have lost one month's worth of salary. Under the new guidelines, he will continue to work TV and PPV shows, but he will only have his road expenses covered and receive no bonuses for the shows. The only non-change in the new guidelines is that he will have his downside guarantee docked for 30 days.

WWE recently changed their guidelines because they didn't want to have to interrupt storylines or change PPV matches if a wrestler was to fail a drug test. WWE officials weren't happy with how things went down for the Great American Bash PPV back in July, and with the results for drug tests for RAW talent just now coming in, they didn't want to risk messing up their plans for the Unforgiven PPV.