More On WWE Stars In Steroid Probe, WM24, More
Only a few weeks after a previous story linking former WWE and current TNA star Kurt Angle to steroid prescription investigation, a story by Sports Illustrated has now linked a number of WWE wrestlers to a series of government steroid investigations in an article that can be read at SI.com.
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 that did not make the story.
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 is interesting to note 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 WWE wrestlers listed in this investigation 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.
As noted earlier, Channel 13 in Orlando reported today that an announcement will be made this Wednesday that WrestleMania 24 would be coming to the Amway Arena in Orlando, Florida next year. This confirms reports over the last few months that Orlando was a top candidate for the big event.