Oh Bilal: Winners Don’t Do Drugs… Or Do They?

The almost comical phrase still holds weight for WWE as they decide what do with Jack Swagger who was apparently supposed to win the World Heavyweight Championship at Wrestle Mania. This all changed when get got high, had a little too much to drink and went 10 miles over the speed limit. You see WWE’s Wellness Program could call for a suspension. But not for a speeding ticket… oh no that’s no problem at all. Kaitlyn got a speeding ticket and her mugshot was all over TMZ but WWE had no issue with that, they gave her the Diva’s title months later. Its not because of a DUI that happened to Cameron, she even tried to bribe cops with $10,000 and was of course on TMZ, she didn’t even tell WWE about that, but no harm no foul she was right back on WWE TV soon after that.

 


 

So what is this really about? Well the WWE Wellness Policy was created in 2006 after the tragic death of Eddie Guerrero. I understand the logic of trying to prevent another untimely death of a promising superstar, but to equate marijuana usage with the acute Cardiac Failure that ended Guerrero’s life is entirely misguided. The Mayo Clinic does list alcohol as a risk factor for such a condition… but not marijuana. In fact pot if you will is listed as a treatment by the Mayo Clinic for chronic pain.

Even for someone like me who has never taken part any of the above (well ok I read TMZ when required and occasionally drive a car), this entire notion seems behind the times and most modern medical research.

However, all of sports has become an oddly regulated mess with lockouts and unions calling for regulation clashing with free market owners, CEO’s and commissioners wanting complete freedom. Just look at the MLB where an era of steroids have lead to no player Hall of Fame inductions this year. Which is frankly foolish, MLB had their chance to remove these players from the league when they played and they didn’t. So to attempt to re-write the record books that the Hall of Fame echo is largely an empty gesture. Not to mention the Lance Armstrong story, where his inspiring ability to over come cancer and inspire countless people in their fights is tarnished because he used PEDs, which are apparently rampant in cycling anyways.

What WWE SHOULD do is promote education on how to prevent complications of the tough life style on the road WWE Superstars and Diva’s undertake. Instead of suspending and in the case of Randy Orton seemingly blacklisting his main event status upon his return. Rather WWE should FORCE Superstars and Diva’s to address DUI’s and Traffic Offenses publicly to at least send the message to younger viewers about living in moderation. Instead the current  message is: you can break any traffic laws, you can drink and drive just don’t do drugs or your life will never be the same. I would guess WWE is afraid to hurt relations with beer companies globally but there is a middle ground, I would guess those same companies don’t want to associate themselves with a company that chooses to ignore DUI issues internally.

I can only hope decades from now the gap between drugs that a doctor prescribes for medical treatment and those people take to enhance their physical abilities in pursuit of fitness, that are deemed unethical by arbitrary regulators will disappear. The result will be a healthier, longer living society.

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