Congress requests WWE drug testing records

[Guest The 3H's]

He wasn't in the wwe in 2004 I believe.

[Guest BilJim2]

He was in Deep South their developmental territory, wasn't he?

 

Regardless of the steroids, what nitwit leaves old pay stubs when they move? Or their contract?

 

He ought to be canned for that alone...

[MikeCampbell]

He was in Deep South their developmental territory, wasn't he?

The WWE didn't start up Deep south until 2005.

[sek69]

I was hoping it was Snitsky just so we could hear how IT WASN'T HIS FAULT~!

[Bix]

Waxman brings the reading material including a long Vince interview and all sorts of stuff.

 

January 2,2009

The Honorable John P. Walters

Director

Office of National Drug Control Policy

Executive Office of the President

Washington, DC 20503

Dear Mr. Walters:

As you may know, I will be leaving the Oversight Committee to become Chairman of the

Energy and Commerce Committee. Before I make this transition, I want to provide you with

information from the Oversight Committee's investigation into the use of steroids in professional

wrestling, which over 3 million children and teens watch regularly. I also request that your

ofhce examine the systemic def,rciencies in the testing policies and practices of professional

wrestling that the investigation has found.

On June 24,2007, Chris Benoit, a professional wrestler with World V/restling

Entertainment (WWE), killed his wife and son and hung himself. According to press reports,

Mr. Benoit's testosterone levels were ten times normal levels when he committed suicide.

In response to concerns about this incident, the Committee wrote to the V/WE, Total

Nonstop Action, and other professional wrestling organizations requesting information on their

steroid policies and their knowledge of steroid abuse within their organizations. The Committee

also conducted transcribed interviews with WWE Chairman Vince McMahon and other

professional wrestling officials.

The documents produced to the Committee, and the information provided during

interviews, indicate that steroid use is pervasive in professional wrestling and that the

organizations involved have not taken adequate steps to address this problem. The information

reviewed by the Committee shows:

In the first year of the WWE's testing program, which began in March 2006, 40% of

wrestlers tested positive for steroids and other drugs even after being warned in advance

that they were going to be tested.

o Six months after the WWE announced its 2006 steroid testing policy, it relaxed the policy

to allow wrestlers suspended for steroid abuse to participate in "selected televised events"

and "pay-per-views."

o The WWE hired four of five wrestlers who tested positive for steroids in "pre-contract"

testing conducted in2007 and 2008.

¡ The WWE regularly approved "therapeutic use exemptions," explicitly allowing the use

of steroids as part of a "testosterone replacement acceptance ptogtam" for wrestlers who

abused steroids in the past.

o Test results from the 'WWE's top competitor, Total Nonstop Action'Wrestling, reveal that

alarge proportion of TNA wrestlers have also tested positive and that there are

significant weaknesses in the TNA testing program.

The Committee obtained information relating to the death of Chris Benoit. According to

WWE officials, Mr, Benoit was tested four times for steroids prior to his death. He tested

positive three times, but each time he received only a warning or no penalty at all. The

Committee obtained no evidence that efforts were made to discourage his steroid abuse.

World Wrestling Entertainment Policies and Practices

According to documents provided to the Committee, the WWE had a steroids testing

program in the 1990s that was eliminated in 1996, On October 25,1996, the WWE's Chairman

and CEO, Vince McMahon, issued a memo explaining his decision. The memo stated: "the

incidence of illegal and performance enhancing drugs is so slight that group testing is no longer

cost effective or necessary."

 

In March 2006, Mr. McMahon reinstituted the steroids testing program after press reports

suggested that the death of popular WWE wrestler Eddie Guerrero four months earlier was

linked to steroid abuse.' Under the new WWE policy, the firstseries of tests were considered

"baseline tests." 'Wrestlers were informed in advance that they would be tested and that no

penalties would be imposed. The documents produced to the Committee indicate that 75 of the

186 wrestlerc (40%) tested positive for steroids or other drugs.a

After this initial baseline testing, the WWE began imposing penalties for wrestlers who

tested positive. Despite these penalties, between March 2006 and March 2008, testing of WWE

wrestlers resulted in an additional 34 positive test results for steroids.t The WWE, also reported

to the Committee that there were an additional 23 positive tests for other drugs, including

cocaine, ecstasy, and methadone.6

The drug policy was weakened when allowed wrestlers to perform even in

cases where they had been suspended as a result of positive drug tests. On August 21,2006,fhe

WV/E issued an amendment to the substance abuse policy stating that the WWE "may, at its

discretion, schedule the Talent to work selected televised events without pay and pay-per-views

with pay during the 30 day suspension period."7

 

On September 25,2007, the Committee interviewed Dr. David Black, who is the program

administrator for the WWE steroid testing program. In his intewiew, Dr. Black stated that this

amendment was adopted because "it was becoming difficult to deal with the talent who were

being suspended,"8 Dr. Black told Committee staff that he was "unaccustomed to programs that

suspend and you're not suspended."e

 

In addition to the large number of positive drug tests, documents provided by the WWE

indicate that between November 2007 and March 2008, five individuals tested positive for

steroids in "pre-contract" testing, Despite these positive tests, WWE hired four of these

individuals.lo

 

On September 24,2007 , the Committee staff conducted an interview with Dr. Tracy Ray,

a physician with Andrews Sports Medicine and Orthopedic Center who is under contract with the

WWE as the "medical review officer" for the WWE's steroid testing program. During his

interview, Dr. Ray discussed the WWE's policy for "therapeutic use exemptions" to allow

wrestlers to continue performing while using steroids. Dr. Ray informed the Committee that he

is not a trained endocrinologist. He also stated that he does not examine wrestlers, discuss their

medical conditions with their doctors, or conduct detailed reviews of their medical conditions

before granting therapeutic use exemptions. According to the documents produced to the

Committee, Dr. Ray approved seven therapeutic use exemptions since 2006. Dt, B?y informed

the Committee that there was "shadiness in almost every case that I've reviewed."ll

 

Dr. Black, the WV/E's program administrator for the steroid testing program, described

these therapeutic use exemptions as "a testosterone replacement acceptance program."'' He

indicated that this policy allows wrestlers who have damaged their endocrine system through the

abuse of anabolic steroids to continue using these drugs.l3

 

On December 14, 2007, the Committee interviewed Vince McMahon, the Chairman of

the WWE and one of its most well-known performers, Mr. McMahon has admitted to using

steroids in the past.la He refused to answer questions from the Committee, however, about his

personal steroid use.'5 Mr. McMahon informed the Committee that even though he continues to

perform in wrestling events, he is not subject to the WWE substance abuse policy, including its

drug testing provisions. I 6

During his interview, Mr, McMahon was asked whether he knew if there are health risks

from steroid use, including long-term risks. He responded: "I'm not a doctor. I don't know."17

When asked what he would tell wrestlers who asked about potential health risks, he answered:

"I don't know if there are really any long-term effects of stèroid usage."l8 'When

asked whether

steroids could cause impairment and risks to wrestlers and others in the ring, Mr. McMahon

indicated that he had never considered the question.

As part of the Committee's inquiry, the Committee sought information about any steroid

testing involving Chris Benoit, the wrestler who killed himself and his wife and son in June

2007. WWE offlrcials informed the Committee that Mr. Benoit was tested four times under the

WWE program, He tested positive three times. He received no suspensions or other penalties as

a result of these positive tests, and the Committee obtained no evidence indicating that efforts

were made by WWE to discourage his steroid use, An autopsy of Mr. Benoit revealed that at the

time of his death, he had ten times the normal testosterone level in his system."

 

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling Policies and Practices

 

The Committee also obtained documents relating to the steroids policies and testing

practices of the WWE's top competitor, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA).21

According to the documents, the TNA conducted baseline steroid testing of its wrestlers starting in January 008. The documents provided to the Committee indicate that, despite having advance warning f these tests, 15 of 60 wrestlers (25%), tested positive for steroids .'2 An additional 11 wrestlers tested positive for other drugs,23

Eight months later, in August 2008, the TNA issued a drug and alcohol abuse policy that

includes random testing, although it fails to explain the protocol for selecting wrestlers who will

be tested or provide information about how samples will be collected.2a

Conclusion

The evidence obtained by the Oversight Committee indicates that illegal use of steroids

and other drugs in professional wrestling is a serious problem that the wrestling organizations are

not effectively addressing. One former wrestler who agreed to talk to Committee staff on

condition of anonymity explained that, in the wrestling business, "steroids are like white socks

and tape, they're just part of your gear,"

Since the Committee began its investigation last year, both the WWE and the TNA have

made efforts to improve their steroid testing programs. But these efforts suffer from a lack of

independence and transparency. As a result of these weaknesses, the organizations appear

unable to effectively prevent the use of steroids and other illegal drugs by professional wrestlers.

Over 3 million children and teenagers watch professional wrestling each week. The

apparently widespread use of steroids in professional wrestling sends the wrong message to

youth. For this reason, I request that ONDCP examine steroid use in professional wrestling and

take appropriate steps to address this problem.

If you have any questions regarding this letter, please contact Brian Cohen of the

Committee staff at (202)225-5420.

Sincerely

Henry A. Waxman

Chairman

[Bix]

Amidst McDevitt and Vince cutting promos on Congressmen over asking if Vince has used steroids & HGH since '96 and a bunch of "We put smiles on people's faces" speeches, this may be the highlight of the Vince interview:

Q The journalist, a wrestling journalist, Dave Meltzer, in

a July 2007 piece compiled ‐‐

 

Mr. McDevitt. That's an oxymoron.

 

BY MR. LEVISS:

Q ‐‐ a list of 60 or over 60 former professional wrestlers

who in his assessment had died early. Are you familiar with ‐‐

 

Mr. McMahon. I'm not familiar with anything Dave Meltzer writes.

He's a gossip columnist. I don't read what he has to write. Like

I say, he's a dirt monger. There are a number of those. We call

them dirt sheets and they have very little credibility.

 

BY MR. COHEN:

Q What about ‐‐ some of his work received coverage in a

number of other more mainstream outlets, for example, Sports

Illustrated. I believe Frank Deford did a story on the Meltzer

numbers. Are you familiar with that?

 

Mr. McMahon. Look, I've borrowed one of Frank Deford's shoes one

night. He doesn't like me.

 

Q Are you familiar with his story?

 

Mr. McMahon. No. Other than Frank Deford wrote something derogatory.

But, you know, he has no sense of humor and he doesn't like me.

We were bowling one night and I borrowed one of his shoes and he

never found it. And so he had to walk home in a bowling shoe and

one of his others, and he was upset about that I understand.

 

Mr. Leviss. I'm going to have to note that would be upsetting too.

 

Mr. O'Neil. Now we know the rest of the story.

 

Mr. McDevitt. You're hearing something for the first time,

too. I never heard that one.

 

Mr. McMahon. Well, actually I also borrowed one of his

wife's shoes, too.

 

Mr. McDevitt. That's a whole different story.

 

Mr. McMahon. I left that part out.

 

Mr. Leviss. I take it she was not your size.

[Bob Morris]

Thanks for posting that, Bix.

 

The fact that Benoit tested positive three times with no punishment certainly lends credence to the theory that top talent don't get suspended under the policy. Of course, those tests happened before WWE made changes after the Signature Pharmacy bust.

 

And then you have 40 percent of WWE wrestlers and 25 percent of TNA wrestlers testing positive even when the baseline tests are announced in advance. I know it takes a while for steroids to get out of your system, but it sure appears the wrestlers just don't take such a policy seriously.

 

I really hope there are follow ups to this to find out exactly what the results are of the changes WWE and TNA have made.

[sek69]

I just read the transcript and it's Vince at his most Vince-est. I love how he acts like a mob boss on trial and claims he has no knowledge of pretty much anything that goes on in the company. Now I believe he doesn't get involved in the developmental stuff but I have a hard time believing (as Vince contends) that anything Wellness related was at Dr. Black's sole discretion alone. There was also a moment where they seemed to have Vince over a barrel by pointing out the Wellness Policy was a result of Eddie's death, only for Vince to basically say "NUH-UH" and no one followed up on that. It was irritating to read how it seemed that the people asking the questions seemed to know enough to tell that they were being completely bullshitted, but not enough to actually call anyone on it.

 

 

McDevitt cutting top level heel promos in the halls of Congress on anyone who dares suggest WWE does anything other than put smiles on faces is just classic stuff. The end where it goes between McDevitt in full Tully Blanchard mode and Vince no-selling any and all questions regarding him personally using steroids/HGH was like something out of a Godfather movie.

 

Not that it should come as a great surprise, but Vince coming out and saying it's all PR and he doesn't give a shit if guys are dying from drug use was kind of shocking considering he made mention of the public reading the transcript earlier in the interview.

 

The whole thing came off as a more restrained version of the "Vince goes apeshit on Costas" interview, where it was all about Vince having to suffer the indignity of having to speak to the common folk.

 

Someone (Stupak or Cook I think) once posted that Vince is like the Superman speech from Kill Bill where he acts the way he thinks normal humans act, and that's all I could think of reading that transcript.

[Boondocks Kernoodle]

Vince shitting all over Meltzer and claiming he doesn't read the Observer when we all know that's not true is great.

[Strummer]

Just read the Steph interview and there is no way any smark can call her dumb. She might have a warped sense of reality (well she does) but she certainly is an intelligent human being with a grasp of the business.

 

Her comparing herself to Paris Hilton was kind of funny

[Resident Evil]

Thanks for posting that, Bix.

 

The fact that Benoit tested positive three times with no punishment certainly lends credence to the theory that top talent don't get suspended under the policy. Of course, those tests happened before WWE made changes after the Signature Pharmacy bust.

 

And then you have 40 percent of WWE wrestlers and 25 percent of TNA wrestlers testing positive even when the baseline tests are announced in advance. I know it takes a while for steroids to get out of your system, but it sure appears the wrestlers just don't take such a policy seriously.

 

I really hope there are follow ups to this to find out exactly what the results are of the changes WWE and TNA have made.

Yeah, thanks Bix. Very interesting on many different levels.

 

Man, I haven't watched any wrestling in months but the last time I did I could visibly tell there was a signifigant drop in steroid use. At least by some people. That being said, of course it was still there! For people who are watching, has there been any change in the physiques again? Is everyone getting bigger?

[Bix]

Just read the Steph interview and there is no way any smark can call her dumb. She might have a warped sense of reality (well she does) but she certainly is an intelligent human being with a grasp of the business.

 

Her comparing herself to Paris Hilton was kind of funny

She seems smart in terms of the wrestling business but dumb in the real world at various points:

 

Q I just want to clarify, when you were talking about your current champions a little while ago, you mentioned CM Punk and his image being a clean wrestler and somebody who doesn't do drugs, doesn't drink alcohol.

When was CM Punk made a champion?

A I'm really not sure. I would say within the last year. It was recent.

Q Was it following the death of Mr. Benoit?

A Yes, it was. Ironically, Mr. Benoit was supposed to become ECW champion that night, and he didn't show up at the pay‐per‐view because he was dead.

Q Okay. The WWE provided the committee with a number of case files for wrestlers who have been to drug rehabilitation.

Mr. McDevitt. Out of clearly redacted case file.

Ms. Levesque. What does "redacted" mean?

Mr. McDevitt. Names, identifying information is not provided.

Mr. Leviss. To protect individuals' privacy, that is right.

Q So, if I understand you correctly, since the enactment of the wellness policy, WWE has documented no concussions?

A As far as I know, as far as I was told ‐‐

Q Yes.

A ‐‐ no.

BY MS. SACHSMAN:

Q And who told you that?

A I was told that by Ed Kaufman, who is our head counsel.

Mr. McDevitt. You should not be disclosing any privileged communications. I didn't realize that is where that came from. And I would instruct you not to answer any further questions about that.

Mr. Buffone. Do you script ‐‐

119

Mr. McDevitt. Not in any case ‐‐ in any questions you give, you never disclose communications with counsel, period.

Ms. McMahon. Okay.

Mr. McDevitt. If the question calls for it, ask me, and before you give an answer. You should never disclose communications with counsel.

Mr. Buffone. Do you script ‐‐

Ms. Sachsman. Of course, just for the record, the committee does not recognize attorney‐client privilege. So certainly, you know, you should discuss that with your attorney, and we will discuss at that point whether we need you to disclose that information.

Not necessarily dumb but somehow it seems appropriate here:

Mr. Leviss. We've been joined by Susanne Sachsman, who is another counsel with the majority staff.

Ms. Levesque. I'm Steph.

[Loss]

Jerry McDevitt stepping in to tell Stephanie not to use names when discussing drug testing was kind of funny.

 

Stephanie was so long-winded in her answers that you almost get the feeling that she resents that she doesn't get to do more media.

[S.L.L.]

Tonight, the roles of David Leviss and Jerry McDeviit will be played by Lance Russell and Bill Dundee.

 

Mr. McDevitt. He answered your question.

Mr. Leviss. I don't understand your answer.

Mr. McDevitt. You -- if don't understand his answer, that's not his problem.  You ask the questions; he gives the answers.

Mr. Leviss.  This is not about problems, Jerry.  This is about making sure that I have a clear understanding of his answers to my questions.

Mr. McDevitt.  No, it is not about making sure you have a clear understanding about anything.  It's about answering the question you ask him. He has answered the question you asked him.   If you don't understand, that's your problem.

So if it's just about answering the questions asked, and not about answering them in any sort of useful, understandable way, should McDevitt have just advised Vince to answer every question with "pancakes" or "37" or "Iceland".

 

Mr. Leviss. Iceland? What does that even have to do with anything?

Mr. McDevitt. He answered your question.

Mr. Leviss. I asked him what his opinions were about the long-term effects of cocaine. How is Iceland an answer?

Mr. McDevitt. You asked him, and his answer was Iceland. You ask the questions; he gives the answers.

Mr. Leviss. Come on, now, Jerry. That doesn't even make any sense.

Mr. McDevitt. This is about him answering the questions he's asked. If you can't understand the answers, that's your problem, Dave. Besides, this man isn't a medical professional. How is a layman like him supposed to know the long-term effects of cocaine?

Mr. Leviss. Jerry, I just want to know if the man has an opinion.

Mr. McDevitt. His opinion is Iceland, and that's all these hicks in Washington need to know.

Mr. Leviss. Now, that's just uncalled for, Jerry-

Mr. McDevitt. The McMahons are the First Family of wrestling, Dave Leviss. Don't you forget that. They've been putting smiles on people's faces for over fifty years, and this Saturday in Congress, they'll put a smile on Henry Waxman's face, too.

Mr. Leviss. We've got to take a commercial break. We'll have more action after this.

[jdw]

Great stuff.

 

Clearly the Committee knew to ask about Vince being a performer and being covered by the Wellness Program... while in fact not being tested.

 

John

[sek69]

Actually it came off as someone (Waxman maybe?) read a bunch of Observers in preparation but didn't really know what any of it meant.

[Strummer]

Just noticed that the Nidia/Steph weight loss scenario from 03 was mentioned in the interview.

 

and apparently Steph doesn't think CM Punk is good looking but thinks Orton and Batista are. Yeah she is just like Vince.

[Jingus]

A couple of things did jump out at me. First was when Steph said that she couldn't recall a single case of any WWE wrestler ever getting a concussion in the ring. Then literally two sentences later, she refers to Chris Nowinski as a guy who'd been forced out of the business by multiple concussions and then wrote a book about it. Kind of a Rick James "no I didn't rub my feet on Charlie Murphy's couch... yeah I rubbed my feet on his couch".

 

The other thing was the steroid question. It's no surprise that Stephanie would wall up and completely deny any and all knowledge on the subject, for legal purposes she kinda has to. But it amused me for her to say she's never once ever even heard a secondhand conversation about steroid use, when one look at the overly chiseled torsos of both her father and her husband would tend to imply that Ms. Levesque is either a rotten liar or is the most naive and sheltered woman in the world.

[sek69]

But it amused me for her to say she's never once ever even heard a secondhand conversation about steroid use, when one look at the overly chiseled torsos of both her father and her husband would tend to imply that Ms. Levesque is either a rotten liar or is the most naive and sheltered woman in the world.

 

Despite the evidence that would indicate the former, I'd be willing to be it's the latter. I have no doubt based on Vince's beliefs that it it was instilled in her early on that steroids is a Thing We Do Not Discuss.

[Bix]

So the Vince interview compelled me to look at various old Vince stuff, including the video of the infamous Trish Stratus dog barking angle on YouTube. It really says something about the women in WWE right now and the WWE body image issues when 2001 Trish Stratus looks much thicker than almost all of them:

 

[sek69]

I guess it belongs here since it's a result of them trying to close a loophole in the Wellness program, but Meltzer has mentioned almost in passing a couple of times now how WWE is cracking down on pot use. Before, it was seen as harmless pain management and guys were just paying the small fine. Now with Congress asking more questions they don't want to be seen as allowing any drug usage. Of course with weed taken away, I'd wager most guys will just end up drinking more and/or getting mark doctors to give them legal pain pills.

[rovert]

I guess it belongs here since it's a result of them trying to close a loophole in the Wellness program, but Meltzer has mentioned almost in passing a couple of times now how WWE is cracking down on pot use. Before, it was seen as harmless pain management and guys were just paying the small fine. Now with Congress asking more questions they don't want to be seen as allowing any drug usage. Of course with weed taken away, I'd wager most guys will just end up drinking more and/or getting mark doctors to give them legal pain pills.

Look what happened in mid 1990s WWF

[tomk]

But it amused me for her to say she's never once ever even heard a secondhand conversation about steroid use, when one look at the overly chiseled torsos of both her father and her husband would tend to imply that Ms. Levesque is either a rotten liar or is the most naive and sheltered woman in the world.

 

Despite the evidence that would indicate the former, I'd be willing to be it's the latter. I have no doubt based on Vince's beliefs that it it was instilled in her early on that steroids is a Thing We Do Not Discuss.

 

I don't buy sheltered. Early in her marriage when she and her husband where clearly "working out together" she started to develop a matching neanderthal forehead. I'm sure someone can put together photos.

[Marty]

Dixie Carter brings the hilarity:

 

Q Can I just go back to the demographics? One of your

sources of revenue are toys?

 

A Uh-huh.

 

Q Can you describe what kind of?

 

A It is mostly collectibles, action figures. And I

don't know if any of the men around this table admit to

having any. But it is really -- it is more in the

collectible side where guys keep the toys and they keep them

in their boxes and then they increase in value and things

such as that. They're not as much, you know, play toys as

more collectible items.

 

Q And who is the target audience for those items?

 

A Well, collectibles are a much older demographic. I

mean, they are probably -- I mean, they are more grown men.

I mean, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s even. Have you seen the

40-Year-Old Virgin with that man that has all the toys? I

mean, that is kind of -- that's our audience.

 

Q And what is the price point for those?

 

A It just depends. Some are, like, 9.99 and some get

up to $29. They are not real expensive because they collect

in mass. I mean, those that collect have a tendency to get

everything that is out there.

[Boondocks Kernoodle]

There's been a lot made of that quote online ("She thinks all TNA fans are 40-year-old virgins!"). When you look into it, you see that she was preemptively trying to deny that the company's action figures are a direct form of marketing to children. She knew that the committee was bringing up toys for that reason, and she was trying to lead them away from that.