Drug testing? Really?

[CuddleBuns84]

Random Drug Testing... Makes sense I would do it. I would do it to the best that my company's resources are.

Oh before I get into my Random Drug Testing Argument, I'm going to do a quick snip-it on Benoit. One of my favorite wrestlers. His music got me pumped up, and was great in the ring. No body could do the things he did. And no one will ever again. Because chair shots to the head, and jumping off 7 feet in the air head first on to the canvas doesn't, and won't happen anymore. Chris Benoit, if it was steroids, or crack, or nothing, made the choice to do a lot of dangerous stuff in the ring. Then, not to stop after numerous concussions. I heard his father blame the industry, because his brain wasn't normal. He made the choices to hurt his brain. No one else. PS WWE made the wellness policy after Eddie Guerro.

Anyways, enough of the past, it's time for the future. Now, if TNA wants a future, then Drug Testing will be a part of it. It's a great way to find your druggies, find your nim rods, and get them out, before something bad happens. Hell, if I owned a pizza joint, and I knew half of my staff were methheads, I sure wouldn't want them working for me. It makes my business look bad, it makes for a bad environment.

 

[InuJoshua]

Will people stop bringing up Benoit. It is not especially relevant here. Somewhere this myth of roid rage causing his actions has been blown out of proportion. Who has roid rage for a couple of days straight? Benoit had a serious brain condition that had nothing to do with steroids and everything to do with things like concussions. Claiming steroids are the main reason Benoit did what he did just makes you look ignorant.

Thank you! I understand that the mainstream media wants to drum up false anger by blaming a well known issue like steroids and the ignorant public buys into whatever the media tells them... but after all the information that has come out over the last few years, the amount of WRESTLING fans who still blame steroids for the Beonit murders is disheartening to say the least.

In regards to the topic, do I think wrestling companies should have a strict policy? Not necessarily. I'm more in line with the people who said it should be personal responsibility and if they want to ruin their health and bodies for the purpose of boosting their performance, so be it. However, it is necessary in a world where companies are scapegoated for the wellbeing of their employees. However, due to wrestling being so physically demanding, the companies should have some kind of policy established that will watch for the well being of its talent, but it should be sincere and effective, not a hunt for the purpose of "showing" you care to the public. Nobody wants to see any more deaths in the business, that's fore sure.

In a perfect world, as long as the talent weren't forced or given incentive to use steroids, there shouldn't be anything wrong with it. Until then though, the companies should take some form of responsibility whether they want to or not.

 

[closet_fan]

I never understood drug testing in wrestling. I know real sports want to regulate it because steroids gives a player or team a certain advantage over someone else, but why have to have it regulated in wrestling when everything is scripted anyways?

It's just another way for the government to stick their nose into something they shouldn't have to.

 

[RD_21]

Good God. So many people in here have no idea what they're talking about when it comes to steroids...... Do yourselves a favor and spend 10 minutes reading-up on them or at least watch some youtube videos about it. A psycho is a psycho. Benoit killed his family, not steroids.
Who in TNA is on them? about 70% of the roster in some form or another. The same goes for any of the legit sports. The more important question is WHO CARES? Steroids don't make you show up to the event in a mind altered state, or keep you awake for days on end.
Should TNA test for drugs? Yes. For Steroids? NO. Should they intervene if a wrestler is an addict with self-destructive behaviors? Yes.

Benoit had brain damage and it wasn't steriods related.

As for steroids, they just cause hearth problem and hearth failure like Eddie, Lance Cade and Test got, but no biggie I guess? Yeah right they should test for steroids and make them illegal in their company. RVD's pot won't kill him but people who use steroid can die. How sad was it that Eddie died years after overcoming his addictions and steroids use? Maybe the effect aren't there when you use them but it creates lasting effects.

 

[billm75]

Steroids have a purpose, when used as directed by physicians. That's it. They should NOT be used to enhance the body artificially for the sake of being big and muscular. There's a reason it's a prescription medication, and there's a reason it's ILLEGAL to use them unless prescribed for a specific method of treatment. Period. To split hairs over "real athletes" vs. "entertainment athletes" is ridiculous.

No matter what you're personal feelings are about marijuana, it's illegal. Therefore, to allow your employees to use it while under your employ is basically being an accessory to their crimes. I have my feelings about it, but they're not relevant to the LEGAL issues that arise.

If I am paying you to work for me, I expect you to not break any laws, it reflects poorly on ME and MY BUSINESS. Period.

 

[returnofplex]

Benoit had brain damage and it wasn't steriods related.

As for steroids, they just cause hearth problem and hearth failure like Eddie, Lance Cade and Test got, but no biggie I guess? Yeah right they should test for steroids and make them illegal in their company. RVD's pot won't kill him but people who use steroid can die. How sad was it that Eddie died years after overcoming his addictions and steroids use? Maybe the effect aren't there when you use them but it creates lasting effects.

Steroid abuse causes the health problems. There's guys in their 70's who are still on the juice who are as healthy as they can be. Rob Terry? Yeah that guy is going to have some problems later in life. RVD or Randy Orton? Probably not. Eddie was still CLEARLY on the juice. It all comes down to knowing what you are doing, and staying within safe limits. Cycling on and off. Most of these guys just want to party like rock stars and not worry about getting fat, having healthy habits, or being mindful of the amounts of these substances they are putting in their bodies.
And do you honestly believe that the guys you mentioned were just using steroids? You don't die of heart failure under 30 unless you are taking your body weight in steroids, or maybe,possibly, you are doing other drugs that should be subject for testing.

 

[goodlay]

Good god shut up about Benoit already.

I think it's pretty obvious the drug testing in TNA is really only for hardcore drugs and HGH/steroids. Because guys like RVD and Kendrick clearly smoke a ton of weed, and they would definitely fail the test. I don't have a problem with that though, seeing weed doesn't do shit. The much bigger picture here is to make sure guys like Hardy aren't still doing coke and meth, and to make sure the big guys like Hernandez and Rob Terry aren't on pain killers or HGH or whatever. I like how people assume Terry is on roids though just because he's big. Okay? Is Cena on roids? Lesnar? That's what I thought.

I don't get all the bashing here. Just goes to show how stupid and illogical some people are. People love bashing anything TNA.

 

[Remix]

It's more than that Goodlay. TNA's attitude towards drugs is lax to say the least. Sure they test for them occassionally, but what punishments do they have for it. In WWE the punishment is set in stone, and you can find the full policy on the internet if you look hard enough. TNA on the other hand, not so much. Hell, as far as I know (and actually what's the case if you believe the dirt sheets) TNA don't do anything to people who test positive for drugs.

 

[Davi323]

Will people stop bringing up Benoit. It is not especially relevant here. Somewhere this myth of roid rage causing his actions has been blown out of proportion. Who has roid rage for a couple of days straight? Benoit had a serious brain condition that had nothing to do with steroids and everything to do with things like concussions. Claiming steroids are the main reason Benoit did what he did just makes you look ignorant.

I should have been clearer...I didn't bring up Benoit because of the accusations of Roid rage, I brought him up because it put the national spotlight on pro wrestling. I don't believe that Benoit committed a double murder/suicide because of steroids. That wasn't what I was suggesting. It was the national attention to pro wrestling, and the QUESTION of whether he was doing steroids or not that got Congress' attention. It was because of the side effects that happened because of Benoit, NOT because steroids caused this or that. It temporarily diverted Congress' attention from steroid use in MLB. And considering that Roger Clemens was indicted for perjury, and pleaded not guilty, ensuring some sort of trial, steroids are going to be back in the forefront of the short Congressional attention span.

Again...brought up Benoit because of the Congressional attention his actions caused, not because his actions were caused by steroids. I hope that clears it up.

 

[Blush]

I only believe Terry is/was on steroids after looking at bodybuilding pics of him. It made me go completely Cornette face. He looks to have de-muscled a bit in TNA tho. So it's not surprising that so many people question him.

TNA should do drug testing for the betterment of their company and the betterment of those that they employ. TNA should not want to be known as a company that let's their talent get away with working under the influence, or doing something to make the company look bad, especially while under the influence. (The media would automatically jump on and add "Drug User" to any wrestling story, if they can pin it) It's just bad business, plus who is to say that TNA would also be known as a junkie haven for those that refuse rehab from WWE? It's almost like that now, IMO.

It's true that people should be accountable for their own actions, but some people, like Scott Hall, really do need someone to actually say "Stop". Like it or not, many people do not do well on their own and do need someone to keep them on track. No matter how old or "mature" they may be. It's not only in reference to drugs either, but any addiction or crutch. People can't always help themselves or see that there's an issue or how it can affect those around them.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

I notice that Chris Benoit has been brought up and while the Benoit situation doesn't completely reflect the issue of drug testing within TNA, I'm afraid the situation will always be relevant when it comes to any discussion regarding the safety, health and general welfare of pro wrestlers. It's a shame that it happened, but it forced people to open their eyes. Whether you be a wrestling insider or a fan, it forced people to see an ugly reality for some wrestlers and the potential for future tragedy.

Benoit did have severe brain trauma and he'd used steroids for a number of years. Could steroid abuse have played some part in the murder/suicide? It's possible as the overall effects of long term steroid use are still a subject of great debate. There are instances of people that claim to have taken steroids for years and suffered no adverse effects, hence they'll say that the negative effects are mostly a result of media hype and puffery. And, of course, you have all the stories regarding negative side effects. I suppose it's possible that some people can be affected differently and have little to no negative effects, but I personally doubt that those people are in significant numbers. However, the fact that Chris Benoit's testosterone level was more than 10 times that of the average man when he died is something that simply isn't going to be forgotten or cast aside as being irrelevant to what happened.

 

[FuzzyDunlop]

Everyone should have been there just for the drug tests. Why? Because you never know who was doing drugs or who wasn't. A strict wellness policy is necessary if TNA are planning to actually get those ratings up and compete with WWE someday. If they fail here we could end up with another Beniot situation and I don't think anyone wants to see something like that happening again

I agree with you. And to add to your point,it just makes it look real shady when some of your talent happens to no show the event where they're gonna be doing the testing. Now granted we don't know if that is the reason Terry no showed the event,but if it is I'd like to know who tipped him off.

 

[Reddannihilation]

I agree with you. And to add to your point,it just makes it look real shady when some of your talent happens to no show the event where they're gonna be doing the testing. Now granted we don't know if that is the reason Terry no showed the event,but if it is I'd like to know who tipped him off.

Twice it's said and twice it must be rebutted, independent contractor, not paid, not required to be there. And again, independent contractor, not paid, not required to be there. Rob Terry didn't no show an event, he "supposedly" wasn't in attendance at an iMPACT taping which he wasn't used on, so why he'd be there I have no idea. He didn't no show an event, he wasn't called in to work.

 

[FuzzyDunlop]

Twice it's said and twice it must be rebutted, independent contractor, not paid, not required to be there. And again, independent contractor, not paid, not required to be there. Rob Terry didn't no show an event, he "supposedly" wasn't in attendance at an iMPACT taping which he wasn't used on, so why he'd be there I have no idea. He didn't no show an event, he wasn't called in to work.

Sounds like he no showed the event to me. But hey,anything to justify your defense of the product,right?

 

[aphazel1]

I am totally opposed to any and all drug testing by employers, there is absolutely no justification for this kind of intrusion into people's bodies. The justifications are weak and based on extremely rare circumstances that get over-hyped by people with political agendas. An employers domination over the body and the kinds of choices that a worker can make when not on the clock is putting way too much control into their already powerful hands. Unfortunately, America is losing its labor unions that help to fight this kind of injustice....If an employee shows up for work intoxicated, they can be terminated on the spot. 99.9% of the time, YOU CAN TELL IF SOMEONE IS HIGH BY TALKING TO THEM. Not to mention the money the company wastes with drug testing ( the test itself + the labor to develop), those things aren't free...

As for the second part of the questions....well, I have no idea who is or is not on steroids and I also don't really care. On the one hand, I don't really support steriod use...but my rights end where another's begin...so, I don't really have the right to tell someone else what they can or cannot put in their body. Whatever happened to individual choice?

 

[King Blitzkonic]

Twice it's said and twice it must be rebutted, independent contractor, not paid, not required to be there. And again, independent contractor, not paid, not required to be there. Rob Terry didn't no show an event, he "supposedly" wasn't in attendance at an iMPACT taping which he wasn't used on, so why he'd be there I have no idea. He didn't no show an event, he wasn't called in to work.

And I counter to you: Put yourself into a wrestler's shoes. Whether you're employee or "independent contractor", you still have the obligation to be present at a house show or TV taping because you never know what kind of freak accident will happen that you may be called in to work. Not to mention that it's not exactly supporting your promotion to only show up when they have something for you.

So while it may not be considered a no-show on the part of guys like Terry, it's bad work ethic at the very least.

And to you, Mr./Miss "whatever happened to individual choice?", I respect your belief that drug tests aren't needed. But I ask you: Would YOU want to work with someone who's on illicit drugs or something that can send them into a psychotic rage at a moment's notice? I didn't think so. You're right, most people don't use steroids or other PEDs. BUT the people who do not only put themselves in danger. They endanger the people they work with and the company they work for. So yeah, you've got a point with "my rights end where another begins", BUT when someone's rights interferes with another person's safety, then those rights have gone too far.

 

[Reddannihilation]

And I counter to you: Put yourself into a wrestler's shoes. Whether you're employee or "independent contractor", you still have the obligation to be present at a house show or TV taping because you never know what kind of freak accident will happen that you may be called in to work. Not to mention that it's not exactly supporting your promotion to only show up when they have something for you.

So while it may not be considered a no-show on the part of guys like Terry, it's bad work ethic at the very least.

See this is why I absolutley despise people who speculate about these things, how do you know that someone from TNA didn't call him prior to the tapings and say "Hey Rob, our current schedule for iMPACT is full so right now we don't need you to come in". How do you know that didn't happen? More to the point are you really trying to tell me that TNA just calls everyone in on taping day and decides who will and who won't be used on the day? No, that's stupid.

Speculate all you want about "freak accidents". TNA aren't using Rob Terry on iMPACT at this current time, so he wouldn't be at the iMPACT tapings and this is all based on speculation, what if Rob was there? And he was tested? And this report is all a bunch of bullshit like most of them are? Then what?

 

[LSN80]

Why should TNA even have a drug testing policy?
TNA isn't exactly known for pushing huge musclebound meatheads in the way that Vince is.

Yeah, Rob Terry got that build all by himself. And he wasn't the global champion for 4 months or anything.

It should come down to personal choice really, wrestlers are adults and they should know the risks involved with taking steroids. If a guy feels like taking steroids, he should be allowed to. It isn't like he's cheating, because wrestling is not a legitimate sport.

Yeah, companies shouldnt hold their employees that their paying large sums of money accoutable foir their actions. They should let them do whatever they want, because taking steroids isn't illegal or anything.....

I think there should be no need for companies to have to mother their employees. If you show up on time, do what is required of you and do it well then why is there a problem?

Because its called accountability. People will only work hard enough as their employers push them too. Plus, it creates an environment that not following the law is completely acceptable. Take drugs, do steroids, so what is what your saying. Well, its against the law moron.

If these issues affect work rate or the safety of others, then step in. If someone wants to risk screwing up their body, it is their own personal choice

.

Sure, nobody should care about the wellbeing of others. Im sure if you were disintegrating and your life was going to hell, or you were making bad choices, you'ls want everyone to stand idly by and just let u. it would be different, Im sure, if you were in the situation yourself.