WWE’s Wellness Policy: Convenient?
First it was Jeff Hardy, now its William Regal.
Another guy on his way to the top hit with a 60-day suspension for breaching World Wrestling Entertainment’s slightly convenient Wellness Policy.
I say the policy is slightly convenient for a reason.
When you look at WWE’s current main event stars, it’s just impossible to believe that Triple H, Randy Orton and John Cena on the Raw side of the company are completely clean of steroids and/or other substances that would fall foul of the policy.
True, Jeff Hardy may have been heading for a main event push prior to WrestleMania 24, but there were always doubts about his extra-curricular activities, and to their credit, WWE made the right decision in holding off a potential main event program with Randy Orton.
But seriously, if the three top guys I named were to take a public test today, would all three come up clean? I sincerely doubt it.
John Cena is all too keen to tell us that his physique is 100% natural and he’s steroid free - this despite recent injuries that are commonly known as being linked to steroid use. It’s been a similar story with current WWE champion Triple H in the past as well.
Randy Orton has already spent time out as a result of WWE’s policy, and while he’s definitely improved in the ring and appeared to have matured a little, I still have my doubts about whether he is the long-term future of this company.
Also, is it just me, or is he looking rather “well” recently?
WWE do deserve credit for the changes they are continuously making to the policy. But I still refuse to believe that they are doing all that they can to ensure their roster is as drug free as possible.
Scott Steiner once claimed that he was asked to undergo a drug test while in WWE, and refused to do so unless Triple H - at the time the World Heavyweight Champion - took the test with him. According to Steiner, the company dropped their request and neither took a test.
I’m not suggesting Steiner is telling the truth or otherwise with his claim, but I must admit, from the outside looking in, I wouldn’t be at all surprised.
While details of the substances that Hardy and Regal were found to have been taking remain unknown, I think its safe to assume that Hardy was busted for recreational drugs.
With Regal, however, it’s a totally different story.
It’s no secret that Blackpool’s most famous wrestler has spent in rehab and dealt with various demons.
But at forty years of age, and preparing for the biggest push in his professional career, it appears that Regal has blown his push, as well as taking a step closer to being shown the door by his employers.
Just last month, Regal told The Sun: “Of course I want to be involved more in a wrestling capacity, that’s why I’m in the shape I’m in. Next I want to be world champion, I really do.”
And while Regal has never had the physique of a Hunter, Cena or Orton, you have to wonder if his second violation of the Wellness Policy is steroid related. You may not think so by looking at him, but don’t forget that his first violation was for steroid use, according to Sports Illustrated and their investigation into the online purchase of steroids a whiel back.
Regardless of what caused the violation, there’s no doubting that WWE’s King of the Ring has made a massive blunder. This weekend, he should have been wrestling Shawn Michaels in Mexico in what could have been a sign of things to come.
Instead, he’s sat at home with a place back in the midcard waiting for him come July.










