Tony Khan Issues Statement On Jeff Hardy’s Arrest
Since Jeff Hardy was arrested for his third DUI in three years yesterday morning, wrestling fans and pundits have been waiting to hear from AEW owner and CEO Tony Khan on the situation. On Tuesday afternoon, Khan ended the wait.
In an official statement released on his Twitter account, Khan commented on Hardy's arrest and the consequences that await the AEW star.
"We were able to resume contact with Jeff Hardy this afternoon," Khan's statement read. "AEW does not condone Jeff's alleged behavior. We've made it clear to Jeff that we'll assist him in getting treatment for substance abuse issues, which he has indicated that he's open to receiving. In the interim, he is suspended without pay, and he can only return to AEW upon successfully completing treatment and maintaining his sobriety. If you or a loved one needs help, please reach out to SAMHSA's National Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)."
— Tony Khan (@TonyKhan) June 14, 2022
Wrestling Inc. has confirmed that the reason for the delayed response was so that Khan and AEW could make contact with Jeff Hardy before releasing the statement, which as noted in the statement occurred earlier this afternoon.
No details were provided on how long Hardy would have to maintain sobriety before he could potentially return to AEW. As of this writing, Jeff Hardy himself has not commented on his arrest, though his brother Matt Hardy released a statement earlier today. Hardy's scheduled hearing at 1:30 p.m. EST today regarding his charges was canceled for unknown reasons.
Khan's statement officially cancels the scheduled three-way ladder match for the AEW World Tag Team Championships tomorrow on "AEW Dynamite", where Jurassic Express was scheduled to defend the titles against the Hardys and the Young Bucks. No announcement has been made at this time regarding whether the match will be scrapped altogether, if it will now be Jurassic Express vs. Young Bucks or if another team will be added.
While not officially announced at this time, it is also expected that Jeff Hardy will be off this Saturday's TripleMania XXX: Tijuana card as well, where he was scheduled to team with his brother against Dragon Lee and Dralistico. It was reported early Tuesday morning that AAA was searching for a replacement for Hardy, though they were still hoping to use Matt Hardy in the match.