The WWE Suspends 10

[xDeniedx]

A big shake up in WWE today.

As of today WWE has suspended 10 of their performers based on information received from investigators in the Albany, NY district attorneys office. The names have not been made public, but these are full suspensions and over the next week, judging from who is and who isn't on TV it may become clear as to who has been suspended.

These suspensions look to be based on proof that performers were using the Signature Pharmacy and or another Internet prescription firms after the implementation of the Wellness policy.

WWE has also announced to their employees that as of November 1st, the company will publicly release the names of anyone who is suspended under drug policy violations.

Credit: Wrestlingobserver.com

[Hylian]

holy shit.

[Hylian]

i just found this from gamespot.

The WWE was rocked again today, afterseveral of wrestling's top names emerged in the Albany district attorney's probe into a widespread Internet doping scandal.

The wrestling conglomerate based in Stamford announced that it will suspend 10 of its biggest stars for violation of its wellness policy.

Top wrestlers Randy Orton, Charles Haas, Jr., Adam "Edge" Copeland, Robert "Booker T" Huffman, Shane Helms, Mike Bucci, Anthony Carelli, John "Johnny Nitro" Hennigan, Darren "William Regal" Matthews, Ken "Mr. Kennedy" Anderson and Chavo Guerrero were all identified as clients of Signature Pharmacy in Orlando, the site raided by Albany County and Florida law enforcement agencies in February for distributing steroids and other prescription drugs to clients who had not been examined by doctors. The investigation is part of a probe into illegal Internet drug distribution by Albany D.A. David Soares.

www.nydailynews.com/sports/2007/08/30/2007-08-30_top_wwe_names_emerge_in_doping_scandal.html

[Nick]

12 in that link, 10 of them getting suspended? God, take the title of Nitro.

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WWE Wellness Policy loses all credibility in the latest shocking turn...

Sports Illustrated has a new article online listing the names of drugs purchased by many of the WWE wrestlers named today as being linked to Signature Pharmacy, an online pharmacy that was raided in February for selling steroids and other drugs to people without being examined by doctors. The big new twist, however, is that the article also has dates of when these wrestlers purchased drugs, most of which fall after the start of the WWE Wellness Policy in February of 2006.

* Chris Benoit is listed as having received nandrolone and anastrozole in February 2006. Anastrozole is a drug that is used by athletes to counter side effects of steroid use, such as water retention and breast enlargement.

* Eddie Guerrero is listed as having received nandrolone, testosterone, and anastrozole two weeks prior to his death on November 13th, 2005.

* Chavo Guerrero is listed as having received somatropin (HGH), nandrolone and anastrozole (among other drugs) from April 2005 and May 2006.

* Shane Helms is listed as having received testosterone, genotropin (HGH) and nandrolone (among other drugs) from November 2003 to February 2007.

* Randy Orton is listed as having received somatropin, nandrolone, stanozolol from September 2004 through February 2007.

* John Hennigan (John Morrison) is listed as having received somatropin, anastrozole, testosterone, stanozolol and human chorionic gonadotropin from June 2006 to February 2007. Human chorionic gonadotropin is taken by anabolic steroid users to stimulate the production of testosterone, which is suppressed as a result of steroid use.

* Ken Andersom (Mr. Kennedy) is listed as having received anastrozole, somatropin and testosterone from October 2006 to February 2007. Kennedy made national TV appearances a few weeks ago denying any drug abuse since the start of WWE's Wellness Policy and defending the policy, saying it was strict and legit.

* Shoichi Funaki is listed as receiving somatropin in March 2006.

* Brian Adams (Crush) is listed as having received nandrolone, testosterone and Somatropin or HGH in December of 2006. Adams was found dead of unknown causes on August 13th, 2007.

* Charlie Haas is listed as having received anastrozole, somatropin, stanozolol, nandrolone and chorionic gonadotropin from August 2006 to January 2007.

* Edward Fatu (Umaga) is listed as receiving somatropin from July 2006 to December 2006.

* Darren Matthews (William Regal) is listed as having received stanozolol, somatropin, genotropin, and anastrozole from November 2004 to November 2006.

* Adam Copeland (Edge) is listed as having received somatropin, genotropin (both HGH), and stanozolol from September 2004 to February 2007.

* Sylvain Grenier is listed as having received somatropin, nandrolone, genotropin and stanozolol from February 2005 to July 2006.

The article says that WWE's Gary Davis declined comment on their report.

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TNA star joins the list...

Sports Illustrated writer Louis Fernando Llosa appeared on MSNBC today to discuss his story from yesterday where he named the drugs that several WWE wrestlers purchased over the past few years from Signature Pharmacy, an online pharmacy being investigated by authorities for supplying drugs to people without them being examined by doctors.

During the appearance, Llosa said that Kurt Angle was also on the customer list, but called him an Olympic Gold Medalist, not a pro-wrestler.

Credit: PWTorch.com

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A look into the process....

The 11 wrestlers that WWE suspended were not suspended for failing drug tests, they were suspended for buying steroids (or growth hormones) from a specific pharmacy over the internet. Wrestlers who are using but did not buy from Signature Pharmacy are likely to not be suspended. This would explain why someone like Bobby Lashley is not one of the named or suspended wrestlers. One of the things that goes on backstage is that the richer wrestlers are able to buy designer drugs and have people working for them that ensure there is no paper trail back to the drugs. A guy who doesn't make as much is more likely to turn to online pharmacies and not go to the great lengths to cover up their tracks.

Credit: WrestlingObserver.com

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SPOILER WARNING!




































- Having CM Punk defeat John Morrison for the ECW Title at the ECW On Sci-Fi taping last night seems to be an indication that Morrison is one of the 11 wrestlers that WWE has suspended. Morrison was named in the New York Daily News article as having bought drugs from Signature Pharmacy with his most recent purchase coming in February of 2007.

- WWE has announced that Umaga will be defending the WWE Intercontinental Title against Jeff Hardy at the RAW taping tonight. It is likely that Umaga is one of the 11 suspended wrestlers and thus will likely drop the belt tonight. Umaga was also named in the media reports as a customer of Signature Pharmacy, with his most recent date of purchase being December of 2006.

- Batista worked the Smackdown taping last night and was not only victorious, but also announced as part of the main event for Unforgiven, so it doesn't appear as if he is among the suspended wrestlers. Batista was named as a customer of Signature Pharmacy but only in the ESPN report which did not list the dates of purchase.

- Chavo Guerrero worked the Smackdown taping and lost to Rey Mysterio. It remains to be seen if he is one of the suspended wrestlers, although one would presume he would be since he was named in media reports as a customer of Signature Pharmacy and listed as buying drugs from Signature as recently as May of 2006.

Update: I Quit Match: Rey Mysterio over Chavo Guerrero. Rey took out Chavo the same way by hitting his knee with a chair repeatedly while he was hung up in the corner.

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New details from backstage...

A meeting was held with talent at the Smackdown/ECW taping yesterday afternoon. Details are below.

- Stephanie McMahon said 13 wrestlers have been suspended for buying drugs from online pharmacies and two others have been suspended for drug screening failures. WWE has only confirmed 11 suspensions publicly. This means that either Stephanie said the wrong number or four others have been suspended. That means a total of 15 wrestlers could be suspended, plus the firing of Mike Bucci.

- Stephanie also told the wrestlers that Vince McMahon was looking forward to the upcoming Congressional hearings on pro-wrestling, saying that he was thinking of wearing a clown wig and shoes to make a point about the entire process.

- Batista spoke up at the meeting, saying the reports that named him as a customer of Signature Pharmacy were false and that he has never received anything from online pharmacies. He asked Stephanie what he could do legally about that and she told him that he needs to discuss that with his personal attorneys. Batista was apparently very upset about his name being in the reports, standing by his statement that he has never purchased drugs from online pharmacies.

- At the end of the meeting, Triple H gave a speech to try and raise morale. He told the wrestlers that they may feel like they are in a horrible business right now, but to remember that they have the greatest job in the world and a job they have all dreamed of doing. He said he was proud to be a pro-wrestler and that it is important that all the boys stick together and work through this tough time for the pro-wrestling industry.

Credit: PWInsider.com