World Wrestling Entertainment has suspended 10 of its wrestlers for violations of a policy that tests for steroids and other drugs, the company said Thursday.

 

Stamford-based WWE said it issued suspension notices based on independent information from the prosecutor's office in Albany County, N.Y., which has been investigating illegal steroid sales.

 

Neither the WWE nor the Albany County district attorney's office would comment on the suspended wrestlers' identities Thursday. No criminal charges were filed, they said.

 

Under a WWE wellness policy instituted last year that requires tests for steroids and other drugs, a wrestler faces a 30-day suspension without pay for a first violation, a 60-day suspension for a second violation and firing for a third violation. Performers are tested at least four times per year.

 

"We are very actively working to eradicate the use of steroids and performance enhancing drugs in the WWE," WWE spokesman Gary Davis said. "Today's action is part of that effort."

 

WWE officials met this month with New York prosecutors investigating illegal steroid sales. Albany County prosecutor P. David Soares' office has said that pro wrestler Chris Benoit, who killed his family before hanging himself in June, and other WWE wrestlers had been clients of Signature Pharmacy of Orlando, Fla.

 

Investigators said Benoit, who was found dead with his family at their home in Fayetteville, Ga., had a steroid and other drugs in his system at the time.

 

When Soares' office began investigating the illegal sale and distribution of controlled substances, he said, his office sought the help of WWE after a number of its wrestlers appeared on customer lists of clinics connected with Signature Pharmacy.

 

Nine people, including three current or former physicians, have pleaded guilty, most affiliated with Internet and phone-order companies that filled orders for anabolic steroids and growth hormones through Signature and sent drugs to customers around the country, including Albany County.

 

Signature's owners have pleaded not guilty.

 

The Benoit case prompted the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee to ask WWE to turn over any information it has on steroid and drug abuse in pro wrestling. The committee has not yet scheduled a hearing on the case.

 

WWE said the company's practice has been to not release the names of suspended wrestlers, but the company has notified performers that starting Nov. 1 the names of those suspended for violating the policy will be made public.

 

WWE has about 160 wrestlers. WWE shares closed Thursday at $14.80, down 21 cents.

 

Source: clickondetroit.com

 

No word on who the 10 wrestlers who've been suspened as of yet.

Good Lord i'm a wwe fan $h!t.

I thought they all took steroids anyway.

No doubt it'll be turned into some ridiculous PRO-STRAIGHT-EDGE-WWE angle. As always ...

I thought they all took performance enhancing drugs, which is one of the reasons why WWE is classified as an "Entertainment" & not a "Sport".

In an article by T.J. Quinn of the New York Daily News, the newspaper received a list of wrestlers who were clients of Signature Pharmacy. The names listed were:

 

Randy Orton

Charlie Haas

Adam Copeland aka Edge

Robert Huffman aka King Booker

Shane Helms aka Gregory Helms

Mike Bucci aka Simon Dean

Anthony Carelli aka Santino Marella

John Hennigan aka John Morrison

Darren Matthews aka William Regal

Ken Anderson aka Mr. Kennedy

Chavo Guerrero

 

ESPN added three other names

Dave Bautista

Shoichi Funaki

Chris Mordetzky aka Chris Masters

 

 

 

William Regal :lol:

Funaki????! :lol: :lol:

I thought they all took steroids anyway.

 

 

Me too... And frankly, I dont really class WWE as a "sport" anymore than I would a Circus Freak Show tbh.... That's pretty much what I class most of these "wrestlers" as - circus freaks.... -_- I'd've thought that taking steroids was an essential part of WWE.....

I think the reason runs deeper than 'cheating'. Overuse of steroids in the 1980s has killed off about 50% of their old roster. I see Crush from Demolition died aged 44 the other week.

 

Reason of death is unknown but I'd put a hundred on it being heart failure - the same thing that claimed British Bulldog, Mr Perfect, Big Bossman etc.