This spawns from the recent news that former independent wrestler and once soon to be WWE developmental talent Devin Nicholsan, who received a contract offer from WWE, only to have it rescinded once his blood test came back positive for Hepatitis C. Nicholson is alledging that the disease was transmitted to him through WWE HOF Abdullah the Butcher, of whom he claims passed along the disease when he cut not only himself intentionally, but Nicholson as well without permission during a match they had in 2007. Nicholson points to this as the only "risky behavior" he has engaged in over the last 5 years, both in a series of matches with Abdullah in 2007, and another set in 2009.
Acute Hep C--occurring during the first 6 momths of contraction-- is often asymptomatic. Chronic Hep C---which occurs after 6 months of no treatment--- or failure to diagnose or properly treat-- is often asymptomatic as well--but can cause scarring of the liver(fibrosis)--liver inflammation((corrisis)--leading all the way up to liver cancer--or other fatal diseases as well. While treatable if caught, no vaccine is currently available against Hep C. In his lawsuit against Abdullah, Nicholson is claiming Butcher bladed himself during a several matches, but Nicholson as well during this time, wthout permission. In September 2010, Nicholson's lawyers claimed they met with Abdullah in one of his restaurants to request bloodwork proving that Abdullah did not have Hep C. Abdullah agreed, but nearly a year has passed, and Nicholsons lawyer claim they have received no such blood test, nor have they even had calls returned from Abdullah. Abdullah has declined comment on the matter, and Nicholson's lawyers have responded by filing a 6.5 million dollar lawsuit against Abdulllah, with battery, negligence, and wreckless endangerment being the allegations brought forth.
http://netnewsledger.com/2011/07/27...and-“wwe-hall-of-famer”-abdullah-the-butcher/
The article above clearly paints Nicholson as the protagonist in the story, and is somewhat slanted in that regard. But Nicholson is not the first to affected by this and have their career essentially end, Desmond Wolfe was also pulled as a wrestler last September from TNA and offerred an office job due to testing positive for Hep C himself.(although not due to Butcher) The "facts" and extraneous factors surrounding the Nichjolson lawsuit are obviously unknown. Could Nicholson have obtained the Hep C somewhere else, all-the-while finding a patsy in Abdullah?
As for now, all we have are the "facts" Nicholson's lawyer is providing, as Abdullah and parties from his camp have declined to provide documentation, or comment until recently. In recent years, many an independent wrestlers career has ended due to the contraction of Hep C and diseases such as this. On the other hand, Im not sure what Abdullah's angle would be here. One would assume he's wrestling still because he loves it, as he has several fledging restaurants at the current time. Also, if he was truly aware of his Hep C, why would he blade himself and others? As a sadistic way of inflicting the same disease on others that was done so to him? Is their any other logic one can think of if he was truly aware? Since WWE inducted him into the HOF, they've been promoting him more then ever, including the release of Abdullah action figures and his inclusion on their website along with a match of his being added to their top cage matches of all time. Would WWE truly promote someone they believed was guilty of purposefully spreading Hepatitis? There are questions here that need to be answered. Here's a piece directly from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
If Abdullah was unaware, does Nicholson have a legitimate claim against him? What does his refusal to supply said "clean" tests say to you?
If the allegations turn out to be true, should Abdullah be on the hook more then just financially? Are there criminal ramifications here as well?
With a name as big as Abdullah's being mentioned in a Hep C type scandal, and the way Hep C has made its way around the wrestling world, could this be the type of bombshell that rocks the wrestling world the way steroids did in the 80's if it continues to be an epidemic?
Would you be able to work closely with someone you knew had Hepatitis C?
Any other thoughts/comments on this are welcome.
Acute Hep C--occurring during the first 6 momths of contraction-- is often asymptomatic. Chronic Hep C---which occurs after 6 months of no treatment--- or failure to diagnose or properly treat-- is often asymptomatic as well--but can cause scarring of the liver(fibrosis)--liver inflammation((corrisis)--leading all the way up to liver cancer--or other fatal diseases as well. While treatable if caught, no vaccine is currently available against Hep C. In his lawsuit against Abdullah, Nicholson is claiming Butcher bladed himself during a several matches, but Nicholson as well during this time, wthout permission. In September 2010, Nicholson's lawyers claimed they met with Abdullah in one of his restaurants to request bloodwork proving that Abdullah did not have Hep C. Abdullah agreed, but nearly a year has passed, and Nicholsons lawyer claim they have received no such blood test, nor have they even had calls returned from Abdullah. Abdullah has declined comment on the matter, and Nicholson's lawyers have responded by filing a 6.5 million dollar lawsuit against Abdulllah, with battery, negligence, and wreckless endangerment being the allegations brought forth.
http://netnewsledger.com/2011/07/27...and-“wwe-hall-of-famer”-abdullah-the-butcher/
The article above clearly paints Nicholson as the protagonist in the story, and is somewhat slanted in that regard. But Nicholson is not the first to affected by this and have their career essentially end, Desmond Wolfe was also pulled as a wrestler last September from TNA and offerred an office job due to testing positive for Hep C himself.(although not due to Butcher) The "facts" and extraneous factors surrounding the Nichjolson lawsuit are obviously unknown. Could Nicholson have obtained the Hep C somewhere else, all-the-while finding a patsy in Abdullah?
As for now, all we have are the "facts" Nicholson's lawyer is providing, as Abdullah and parties from his camp have declined to provide documentation, or comment until recently. In recent years, many an independent wrestlers career has ended due to the contraction of Hep C and diseases such as this. On the other hand, Im not sure what Abdullah's angle would be here. One would assume he's wrestling still because he loves it, as he has several fledging restaurants at the current time. Also, if he was truly aware of his Hep C, why would he blade himself and others? As a sadistic way of inflicting the same disease on others that was done so to him? Is their any other logic one can think of if he was truly aware? Since WWE inducted him into the HOF, they've been promoting him more then ever, including the release of Abdullah action figures and his inclusion on their website along with a match of his being added to their top cage matches of all time. Would WWE truly promote someone they believed was guilty of purposefully spreading Hepatitis? There are questions here that need to be answered. Here's a piece directly from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
If Abdullah was unaware, does Nicholson have a legitimate claim against him? What does his refusal to supply said "clean" tests say to you?
If the allegations turn out to be true, should Abdullah be on the hook more then just financially? Are there criminal ramifications here as well?
With a name as big as Abdullah's being mentioned in a Hep C type scandal, and the way Hep C has made its way around the wrestling world, could this be the type of bombshell that rocks the wrestling world the way steroids did in the 80's if it continues to be an epidemic?
Would you be able to work closely with someone you knew had Hepatitis C?
Any other thoughts/comments on this are welcome.
