WWE Vs The U.S. Congress

EdK

It's finally happened the Congress has stood up and taken notice of the weird world that is Pro Wrestling.

They have asked the WWE to provide them with all the documents they have related to drug testing. Going back to beyond the WWF days.

Business is about to pick up!

The Sparrow

In a cage! In a cage!!:D

Vince135792003

From ESPN:

McMahon asked by congressional committee to hand over records

By Shaun Assael
ESPN The Magazine

Updated: July 27, 2007, 4:16 PM ET

In a move that significantly widens the impact of wrestler Chris Benoit's murder-suicide case, two congressmen who opened steroid hearings into Major League Baseball have requested that World Wrestling Entertainment provide records pertaining to the WWE's testing policies and practices.

In a three-page letter dated Friday, Rep. Henry Waxman, the chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and Tom Davis, its ranking minority member, asked WWE to provide a series of documents intended to give the committee and its investigation a detailed look at WWE's drug-testing policy, including information about the results of performance-enhancing drug tests on pro wrestlers.

"The tragic deaths of World Wrestling Entertainment star Chris Benoit and his family have raised questions about reports of widespread use of steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs by professional wrestlers," the congressmen wrote.

"These allegations -- which include first-hand reports of steroid use by prominent former wrestlers -- have swirled around the WWE for over a decade. Investigations by journalists have described a culture of performance-enhancing drug use in professional wrestling, high fatality rates among young professional wrestlers, and an inability or unwillingness of WWE to address these problems."

The letter from Waxman and Davis described WWE wrestlers as "multimedia stars that have an influence on the behavior and attitudes of the nation's youth."

"WWE has a responsibility to do everything possible to eliminate the use of performance-enhancing drugs -- or the perception of such use -- by its wrestlers."

The records request is wide ranging, and parallels what was asked of Major League Baseball. It seeks a list of drugs covered by its policies; the entity that conducts its drug testing; the number of tests it conducts annually; the protocols followed after a positive test; and the procedures for awarding exemptions.

It also wants hard figures about the number of tests that the WWE conducts each year; the numbers of wrestlers tested; positive results for each specific drug; and the number of positive tests for which wrestlers were penalized.

In an attempt to investigate the WWE's reaction to past scandals, the committee is also seeking "the results of any investigations prepared [by the company] regarding the deaths, injuries, or illnesses of current or former professional wrestlers that may have been related to the use of steroids."

It adds to the list "all communications between [the company] and outside entities including communications with health care professionals or law enforcement authorities, regarding allegations of drug use by wrestlers."

WWE chairman Vince McMahon was given until Aug. 24 to comply. A spokesman for the company had not seen the letter when called for comment Friday afternoon.

The WWE instituted its current drug testing policy after the November 2005 death of Benoit's best friend, Eddie Guerrero, 38, who was found dead in a hotel room in Minneapolis. A subsequent autopsy showed heart disease. Because steroids cause the heart to work harder to pump blood to an enlarged physique, they have been associated with arterial wear and tear.

The WWE has insisted that it randomly tests its 180 athletes at least four times a year. But its program has been criticized for being too employee-friendly. In a recent interview with the New York Times, David Black, the company's hired drug testing administrator, said: "The intention is not to punish, but to get them [the wrestlers] to engage in a different lifestyle.''

In a June 28 interview on the Today show, McMahon defended his employees, saying: "Everyone that's in this organization, to my knowledge, is well-adjusted, family people. They go to work like everybody else, except their definition of what their job is, is to put a smile on somebody's face. They're performers and they do their jobs very, very well."

The congressional request is the most direct approach on the WWE since 1994, when federal prosecutors charged McMahon with steroid distribution. A jury found him not guilty. In the years since, McMahon has regained widespread respectability, selling shares in the WWE to the public and luring celebrities like Donald Trump to his shows. But the double murder-suicide in late-June involving Benoit, one of his company¹s biggest stars, has refocused attention on the issue of wrestler deaths and steroid use.

Authorities have said Benoit's body was found to have 10 times the normal level of testosterone, as well as amounts of the anti-anxiety drug Xanax and the painkiller hydrocodone, but there has been no evidence that steroids played a role in the deaths of Benoit's wife, Nancy, and 7-year-old son, Daniel. Georgia's top medical examiner said the testosterone, a synthetic version, appeared to have been injected shortly before Benoit died. He hanged himself in the basement gym of his suburban Atlanta home.

Fozzy

I don't know what wil come of this but it could be very big. I'm absolutely amazed that they're going after WWE though

On a related note, I was reading that had Benoit not gotten sick mentally, he more than likely wouldn't have died from steroid use physically, as there were no signs of steroid abuse on his heart like there has been with many other wrestlers whose deaths have been related to steroids. Kinda strange in a way that it's taken this to put the pressure on WWE when there were so many more deaths that were much more linked to drug abuse in the past

Vince135792003

Real radical change in the wrestling industry will only come from the outside. Time has shown that no one within the bubble will truly deal with whats going on.

Fozzy

The full letter sent to WWE can be viewed here: http://espn.go.com/media/pdf/070727/mcmahon_wwe.pdf. Pretty extensive

Vince135792003

Fozzy wrote:

. Pretty extensive

Thats for sure. I'm sure Vince took a breath when he turned over the second page which lists what they want.

Terry

Maybe we'll get to watch some actual wrestlers, rather than roided up freaks.

Fozzy

From WWE's corporate website:

WWE Statement On Congressional Letter
The media has provided us with a copy of a letter from the Congressional Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. We are reviewing this letter and will respond accordingly.

The media is quicker than the post it would appear

Dragan

Bah, exactly the same **** as dragging up Bonds, Canseco and all those boys..... it's voting time.

War on Terror not doing what you need? Start a war on steroids. The Balco hearings solved nothing. Prize goes to anyone who can tell me a major sports star that was arrested, what Patrick Arnolds sentence was or any major changes that were brought in because of it all?

Witch hunt you say?

Pass me the D-bol. :rolleyes:

Vince135792003

Dragan wrote:

War on Terror not doing what you need? Start a war on steroids.

If you read the letter, its not exclusively just about steroids. Its extensive.

I have no idea where the whole thing will lead and I wouldn't say I'd be totally certain that it will lead to any sort of reform in the wrestling industry.

However, I don't think people in power in wrestling have the mindset or the willingness to really and truly improve things. History has shown that. If it leads to greater rest periods or a wellness policy that gets tightened up, I think its a good thing.

Fozzy

From Eric Bischoff's website:

Congress has “requested” documents from WWE relating to their drug testing policy. I hope that the likes of Dave Meltzer and Wade Keller are happy. I am sure they are, as more than likely they might get a chance to be on television, or at the very least will see the traffic to their websites and subscriptions to their wrestling tabloids increase. After all, they worked hard to contribute to the media frenzy that rushed to vilify the wrestling business. They continue to promote the “death and drug culture” on their websites and prop up self-promoting sycophants that still can’t deal with the fact that they are irrelevant.

Hey Mero, go compile a list of musicians who have died prematurely of drug/alcohol abuse. Why is there no drug testing by the record labels that have these musicians under contract? Keller, dig into the fact that approximately 300 professional athletes in the NFL/NBA have been arrested on charges ranging from public urination to murder over the past 7 years. Find out if there is a drug/alcohol connection. Meltzer, why don’t you do the state of California a favor and find out why movie studios (many of which are public companies) don’t require drug testing of any kind yet we are deluged with reports of drug and alcohol inspired havoc on our highways by people that influence large segments of our society?

For all of you that think I am some kind of apologist for WWE: Your wrong. I am not under contract with them and do not expect to ever be again. I simply resent the fact that people have exploited a tragedy to promote themselves, their wrestling tabloids, their talk shows camouflaged as news, and in many cases, their need for attention.

While I am no longer a part of the wrestling industry, I do care what happens to the wrestling business. I have friends that work behind the scenes in the industry and feed their families, pay their bills and pay their taxes with the income they make in the wrestling business. I agree that too many people have died as a result of drug and alcohol abuse (including steroids). But to suggest that some kind of government oversight of professional wrestling is going to solve a problem that in my opinion is rooted within the fact that there are members of the medical community (already highly regulated by the government) willing to unethically and illegally provide addictive/dangerous controlled substances that are produced by drug companies (also highly regulated by the government) is wrong. As long as there are celebrities in the entertainment business that are determined to get their hands on and abuse prescription drugs, there will be doctors like Anna Nicole Smith’s and Chris Benoit’s that will be willing to supply them.

The proposed congressional hearings are not a criminal investigation. It is simply a way for politicians to get face time and try to convince their constituents that they are looking out for the publics’ interest by flogging professional wrestling. Because of the Benoit tragedy, professional wrestling is an easy target right now.

The Marc Mero’s, Lanny Poffo’s, Wade Keller’s and Dave Meltzer’s of the world have helped by distorting facts and promoting their points of view on shows like Nancy Grace and in their wrestling tabloids in order to get attention for themselves. The problem is that they are blaming the wrestling business. And that’s not the real problem.

I'm not sure if I'd stick up for Mero, but Meltzer and Keller obviously love wrestling, it's not as if they're trying to bring down the industry as Bischoff seems to be suggesting. Still, he makes a point about the government regulated medical industry which has doctors who still manage to break the law

Vince135792003

Every word that comes out of Bischoff's mouth comes with a BS warning. If WCW was still around today with him in charge, he'd have a lot to answer for too. To the victor go the spoils I guess.

For a guy that doesn't like Meltzer, he sure spent alot of time talking to him when he was in charge in WCW.

the flananator

oooh I hope WWE get spanked.

Fozzy

The second letter sent to WWE by a different congressional committee on this subject is about as extensive as the first and its deadline is 9 days before the first letter's. It can be read here: http://energycommerce.house.gov/Press_110/110-ltr.073107.WWE.McMahon.pdf

From PWTorch.com:

Some noteworthy aspects of the letter:

--The deadline issued to WWE is Aug. 15, a full nine days earlier than the deadline given by the first committee.

--Also, it states: "We understand that this problem is not limited to the WWE; we therefore will be sending similar information requests to other wrestling leagues."

--The key line: It says that illegal steroid use in other pro sports has gotten attention, but "the record suggests that the problem is most pervasive and deadly in pro wrestling, an unregulated form of entertainment that is watched on TV and in arenas by an estimated 20 million fans a week, including children."

--This congressional subcommittee notes that it has jurisdiction over sports-related matters and plans to monitor the situation in pro wrestling closely.

I heard that TNA are looking to start a drug policy soon too

Minto

I'd love to know where that 20 million fans a week comes from.

My maths goes like this:
RAW - about 5/5.5 million
ECW - about 1.5/2 million
SmackDown! - about 2.5/3.5 million

So I'm getting about the 10/11 million mark, maybe an extra 1.5 million for TNA.

The Sparrow

Fozzy wrote:

I heard that TNA are looking to start a drug policy soon too

Well they are supposed to have one but it seems a bit like an urban legend as nobody has any idea about it. TNA must be the dumbest company in the world because they are pretty much under the radar and then they go and sign Pac-Man Jones and bring all sorts of negative publicity on themselves. And for what I imagine will not really mean a damn thing.

It will be interesting to see if any congressional hearings are called. Or if anybody from Congress gets a copy of what Vince was saying on RAW. Actually talking of stupidity, perhaps that is even dumber than TNA hiring Pac-Man. For too long wrestling has fallen between the cracks and I have a hunch that a big culture shock is ahead when they get their wish and are taken seriously and treated seriously.

I only hope that this ends up in regulation by the state athletic commissions which is what I think the industry needs.

The Sparrow

Minto wrote:

I'd love to know where that 20 million fans a week comes from.

My maths goes like this:
RAW - about 5/5.5 million
ECW - about 1.5/2 million
SmackDown! - about 2.5/3.5 million

So I'm getting about the 10/11 million mark, maybe an extra 1.5 million for TNA.

Haha maybe they are doing what WWE does and adding in international figures to boost the viewers!;)

ShawnRaven

Vince135792003 wrote:

Every word that comes out of Bischoff's mouth comes with a BS warning. If WCW was still around today with him in charge, he'd have a lot to answer for too. To the victor go the spoils I guess.

For a guy that doesn't like Meltzer, he sure spent alot of time talking to him when he was in charge in WCW.

Heh i love the way if someone disagrees with someone else (especially those actually IN the wrestling business, and not some armchair warrior watching on), they're automatically bullsh*tting. Thats not a direct knock to you Vince135792003, many before you have said similar about Bischoff and others.

I will agree that he would have a lot to answer for if WCW were around today, but in fairness, WCW would have gone bust a lot sooner if it wasn't for Bischoff in the first place. WCW in 1991 was piss poor, albiet they had some great talent in there, it didn't have a lot of interest. It went to the same arenas in the south and drew horrible numbers everywhere. Bill Watts and Dusty Rhodes booking around the period of 92-93 didn't help either (no top rope moves anyone?).

Bischoff came in and changed all that and made it into the success it became from 94-98. Granted he spent the following two years after that getting over-confident and making mistakes left right and centre, but from what his book tells us, he admits responsibility for some things and not for others.

Call that bullsh*t if you want, but he was there, we weren't so in all honesty, who are we to question if he's bullsh*tting or not?

VR!

Fozzy

woooo232 wrote:

I only hope that this ends up in regulation by the state athletic commissions which is what I think the industry needs.

I've got to admit that I'm slightly worried about what it might mean for a lot of indy promotions. Regulation could add up to a fair amount of money for these promotions and could put them out of business. I'm sure the likes of ROH would survive, but regulation could kill the wrestling business in America in the long run if it forces promotions to shut down

Anyway, right now I really don't believe that anything will be done. They'll tell WWE to tighten up their drug policy, they'll be checking it, but that'll probably be it

Vince135792003

validreasoning! wrote:

Call that bullsh*t if you want, but he was there (Bischoff), we weren't so in all honesty, who are we to question if he's bullsh*tting or not?

Just on what you wrote, I agree pretty much with what you wrote on Bischoff. He did do a heck of alot business wise for WCW. But, this issue is not about company growth and survival. Maybe you can argue it all ties in together but I think its separate and his hands aren't clean.

I'm not knocking what Bischoff did in terms of what he did for WCW as a business. I was knocking his blog, his attitude towards the problems in wrestling and I guess his book too which is in my opinion largely bull. It could have been great but it was the polar opposite, in my opinion.

Now people may argue that because I have never been in wrestling, I can't question what he says, well I disagree. I spent 3 years in Maynooth doing that in history about events I was never at, people I never met and actions I was never involved in. No lecturer ever said because I wasn't at the 1916 rising I couldn't question the motives of James Connoly. It was the very purpose of history, to question and to interpret and I think the same applies here and to most things.

You only need to be able to read his blog to realise that he hasn't read one torch or observer since this whole thing began. I mean geez Keller wasn't even on Nancy Grace or any other mainstream show that I was aware of and he's knocking him for that very thing. So yeah, I think his blog is bull.

ShawnRaven

Vince135792003 wrote:

Now people may argue that because I have never been in wrestling, I can't question what he says, well I disagree. I spent 3 years in Maynooth doing that in history about events I was never at, people I never met and actions I was never involved in. No lecturer ever said because I wasn't at the 1916 rising I couldn't question the motives of James Connoly. It was the very purpose of history, to question and to interpret and I think the same applies here and to most things.

Ooooh, good comeback, well done. I don't know if the two can be compared fairly. I though Bischoff's book was quite fair, if you want a book full of bull, check out Chyna's toilet-paper reserve she calls a book. Bischoff's stories are consistant every time he tells them, compared to her self-controdictary piece of garbage.

You only need to be able to read his blog to realise that he hasn't read one torch or observer since this whole thing began. I mean geez Keller wasn't even on Nancy Grace or any other mainstream show that I was aware of and he's knocking him for that very thing. So yeah, I think his blog is bull.

Keller wasn't on Nancy Grace, but he reported pretty much every Grace show that dealt with the Benoit case, Bischoff was responding more to what Keller was writing, Kellers take on the Grace show. At least thats the impression i got from it anyway. And Keller is mostly rehashed Observer stuff anyway so Bischoff really should be sending his gripes towards Meltzer if anyone.

VR!

Vince135792003

My point is that its clear to me from his blog that Bischoff didn't read anything either Meltzer or Keller had to say. I don't think they added to the frenzied "roid rage" media coverage. If anything they tried to explain that it was alot more complicated than that.

Also its clear from his blog, that he states Keller was promoting for his own gain his points of view on shows like Nancy Grace. Again to the best of my knowledge, he wasn't on any mainstream show. Its a little thing but don't go bashing people when a. they weren't on the show and b. you haven't read what what they wrote. Everyone is open to criticism but not the ignorant type Bischoff gave in his blog.

Fozzy

Figure 4 Newsletter reports that TNA and the NWA have received the second letter that WWE got from congress. I'm not quite sure what the NWA are going to do about this...

Vince135792003

WWE responds to congress: http://corporate.wwe.com/documents/LetterResponse_08_15_2007.PDF

Fozzy

I haven't read it yet, but I just muttered "uh oh"...

There's no attempt to explain why so many wrestlers have died young, although I noticed that the letter they were responding to didn't actually single that out as something they wanted a response to. The first one did I think

I just read that the congressman who drafted the second letter is due to be at Dory Funk Jr's wrestling school on Friday to watch the students train

Fozzy

Ah right, I didn't look at the last page of the response, WWE haven't sent any of their records yet

Fozzy

WWE responds to the initial letter from congress: http://corporate.wwe.com/news/documents/LetterResponse_08_24_2007.PDF

They say that they were addressing the issues related to performance-enhancing drugs for well over a year before Benoit died. They say that Aegis Laboratories has done all steroid testing for WWE, but they only have records dating back to September 1998

They say that they haven't conducted any investigation into why so many wrestlers have died because they are an entertainment company with neither the expertise nor personnel to conduct such an investigation (they don't have the expertise or personnel to do drug testing either, that's what they pay other people to do. That could land them in a difficult spot)

They say that a lawsuit brought by Superstar Billy Graham in 1992 is the only case they know of where someone claimed injury as a result of performance-enhancing drugs, and he lost that case

They provided autopsy reports for four of the wrestlers who died while under contract to WWE. Brian Pillman's autopsy is not available to the public due to Minnesota law. They say that Owen Hart died from a non-drug related accident, Russ Haas died from a non-drug related heart condition and that Eddie Guerrero died from heart disease with the presence of drugs in his system and signs of steroid use. Benoit's autopsy hasn't been released yet

They say that they have sent various performers to rehab over the years but that the documentation in those cases is mainly between WWE and the rehab centres, so it is a private matter, but they will summarise the details if the committee want that

They were asked to hand over any documentation of correspondence with health professionals and law enforcement authorities regarding drug use with wrestlers. WWE mentioned the steroid trial back in 1991, but they don't see why they should hand over the documents for that

Other than that, they've submitted some records and passed the buck to Dr Black, who heads the testing

Vince135792003

From PW torch:

In a stiff blow to WWE, Congressman Stearns said the government turning up all of these drug purchases from an online pharmacy tells him that "WWE does not have a drug policy that's worth a flip." He said that WWE didn't catch them, a district attorney in Albany, N.Y. investigated and found them.

He also said he wonders what other pharmacies might have other WWE customers. He said he wants more details on how WWE's testing policy actually works.

"We asked them for their testing information; what they came back with was not sufficient," Stearns said. "We do not have a copy (of the actual testing policy). We didn't understand whether it was random, what the threshold (level for drugs) was, whether any of these wrestlers were getting post-dated prescriptions after the fact."

He said he believes he now has their attention. Plans are going forth to hold hearings on Capital Hill later this month or early in October.

Fozzy

There's a video on Dory Funk's website of Stearns' visit to his wrestling school. From reading what he has to say I definitely get the impression that he respects wrestling and that he isn't out to put WWE out of business, which is what they seem to think

I'd love to see what TNA and the NWA's replies to Congress were