With the Loser of the Week already decided, the Winner of the Week is now crowned.
Fellow former pro wrestling fans like Cliff and myself are applauding this.
California Representative Henry Waxman, according to the Associated Press on Friday, requested that John Walters, director of the president's Office of National Drug Control Policy, "examine the systemic deficiencies in the testing policies and practices of professional wrestling."
Waxman, chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, has led a congressional investigation into steroid use in professional wrestling for more than a year, spurred in part by the murder-suicide deaths of wrestler Chris Benoit and his family in Georgia in June 2007.
Waxman is leaving the oversight committee to become chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, and his letter offered a final look at the findings that focused on top pro wresting bodies World Wrestling Entertainment and Total Nonstop Action.
"Since the committee began its investigation last year, both the WWE and the TNA have made efforts to improve their steroid testing programs," Waxman wrote. "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."
Waxman wrote that one former wrestler who agreed to talk to the committee on condition of anonymity said that, in the wrestling business, "steroids are like white socks and tape, they're just part of your gear."
"Over three million children and teenagers watch professional wrestling each week," Waxman's letter said. "The apparently widespread use of steroids in professional wrestling sends the wrong message to youth."
****Anyone who has seen the likes of current stars like Batista knows that 'roids are out of control.
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3 comments:
Once again I ask myself, what price are some willing to pay for fame?
I think that pro wrestling has to have more regulations governing it, including mandatory regular medical examinations.
The senseless murder-suicide case of Chris Benoit could have been avoided with regular monitoring. I don't care if it was 'roid rage or because of concussions, someone should have been watching.
And all Vince did was wash his hands of it.
Cliff...I think the "glory days" of wrestling that we are so fond of paved the way for today's 'roid monsters. It's no secret that Superstar Billy Graham, Hulk Hogan, Don Muraco, and so many others were so juiced and they got away with it. The thing is that those guys weren't as "freakish" looking as the current drug abusers like Scott Steiner and Batista.
I've never been one to watch much of wrestling, but anything for controlling testing policies sounds like a good thing.
I remember reading about the Chris Benoit incident. It was very horrifying and sad to me.
All this in the name of entertainment?
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