Death in Wrestling: Who's to Blame, Promoters or Wrestlers?
For as long as I have watched wrestling I have known that wrestlers tend to have a shorter life span than people in most normal jobs.
Some people blame the promoters for the tough schedules and expectations of looking like a body builder, others blame the wrestlers for getting involved in drugs/steroids and alcohol in the first place.
There are plenty of arguments from both sides that have validity and credibility, but when it comes down to the bare facts, there is no clear solution to who is at fault.
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For decades, wrestlers have been traveling 75 percent of the year or more, which can take a toll on anyone. TNA being an exception since they are based out of Florida and take tours only once in awhile.
People who get into wrestling know what is ahead of them, long trips away from home, arduous work schedules, red eye flights, and hotel/motel beds each night. That lifestyle is appealing to some, which is why they wrestle; others wrestle first and then find out how tough the lifestyle can be.
The long trips from home and the extreme physical toll on their bodies causes many wrestlers to turn to illegal substances or alcohol to cope. Some guys use liquor because it is not illegal and is readily available for cheap prices.
Some wrestlers have been known to smoke cannabis to get by, but with the wellness policy in WWE that has become an expensive habit to have with $2,500 fines for each offense.
Others use anabolic steroids to ease the pain, which is fine when doctor prescribed and the amount of medicine is controlled. But this should only be a short-term solution, not a daily one.
Others use drugs like cocaine, heroin and other illegal substances to cope with their lifestyle, but the WWE has got a decent hold on stuff like that now. TNA has no standard testing policy; they only recently began testing guys, with no repercussions to the results so far.
The WWE has made a good effort with their wellness policy to try and get a hold on these types of things, but they still receive heavy amounts of scrutiny from their past reputation for not taking care of their talent.
From what I have heard, WCW was even worse. Some people blame their lack of policy for the downfall of some popular wrestlers who may have been taken care of better elsewhere. Guys like Scott Hall and Psycho Sid were noticeably less healthy in WCW than they were in WWE.
Steroids as a way of getting bigger and having a better physique led to the WWE creating the wellness policy. Two of WWE's best wrestlers fell victim to drugs, alcohol and steroids: Chris Benoit and Eddie Guerrero.
Eddie died of acute heart failure which was a result of years of abuse from both alcohol and drugs.
Chris Benoit, on the other hand, has been somewhat of a mystery. No one can say for sure that steroids caused him to murder his family, but the chances of steroids playing a part in Benoit's mental health being questionable are high.
These are just two examples of the wrestlers who have died before their time. Some people say these two deaths were the reasons the wellness policy was created, but it was most likely just the final straw in the process.
The WWE has always liked its body builder types, which is why steroids were commonplace back in the 80's, 90's and early part of the 2000's. Hulk Hogan and many other have admitted to using steroids to get the extra size they needed, and thus were pushed to the top.
Nowadays, the WWE seems to be the only company testing on a regular basis, but that may not be enough. Wrestling is a form of entertainment, and all genres of entertainment have people who die of drug and alcohol issues, it is sometimes a side effect of fame. That, however, is no excuse.
Promoters and wrestlers alike know what the world of wrestling entails, and both sides are equally responsible for the issues wrestling has had.
The future is looking better as more wrestlers are getting the help they need with WWE's free rehab program, but time will tell as to whether or not it helps.
What is your take on the state of drugs, alcohol and steroid problems in wrestling?
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