TNA/Impact Wrestling Needs a Wellness Policy!

[CM Steel]

Are TNA too nieve to have a wellness policy for there company or something? This has been for years that TNA wrestling has gone without a wellness policy. It should be a crime that they don't have one. I'm not saying at all that TNA should be more like the WWE in business. But to avoid anything that can be a really major like a wrestler's death of drug overdose's. Something has to be done!

Most wrestlers who jump ship from the WWE to TNA (Kurt Angle, Jeff Hardy, Ken Anderson/Kennedy) have problems that's based around some kind of drug. Many in the media say and feel that's one of the reason's why wrestler's jumping ship from WWE to TNA has to do with TNA not having a wellness policy like WWE, and the wrestler's can get away with more behind it.

Eddie Guerrero left before his time.
Chris Benoit left before his time.
The "Macho Man" Randy Savage didn't live long enough to get inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame...If that ever was suppose to happen???

But TNA/Impact Wrestling needs a wellness policy! What happened with Jeff Hardy this past March wouldn't have happened if they did already have one. And more of the same with TNA champion Kurt Angle.

 

[Davieboy2009]

Honestly, this is just a case of public knowledge, and who is the biggest moneymaker. Do TNA need a wellness policy? Heck yes. But the fact is they won't, and its killing their wrestlers. Kurt Angle has been pulled over twice, as champ, for DUI and they just let it go. Jeff Hardy is a well known drugie, and they still allow him to be on the roster Meanwhile his brother Matt, they see as expendable, so he's gone as soon as he did something. The fact that it seems like Kurt's DUI is going unpunished is total horse shit. They are very inconsistent and its not sending the right message to talent. And this is all public knowledge too, reported on TMZ and other gossip sites. Its harming their imagine.

Take the WWE, if John Cena was caught wit a DUI or doing drugs, he'd probably still be on TV as well. But, if TMZ caught wind of it and it became public knowledge, the WWE would have no choice but to pull Cena because the last thing they want is anymore harm to their image.

Speaking of which, am I the only one who wonders how the hell the Hardys are still alive?

 

[This Is My Name Thank You]

If I have to pee in a cup to work for a minimum wage job then these dudes should pee in a goddamn milk jug! Shit it is only fair as they have people’s lives in their hands. I guess maybe it comes down to them trying not to spend money. Drug testing is expensive and I think of as that. If TNA was the juggernaut like WWE I am pretty sure they would have a Wellness policy. Until that happens I see it as a way to caught down cost. But, I truly agree they should have one. It is wrestling were they have other wrestlers in their hands.

 

[TheTemp]

I'm pretty sure they do have one already..I do remember reading reports several times the last couple years of them testing the roster. You can't test everyone every show.

 

[closet_fan]

Considering WWE's Wellness Policy is a joke, TNA's would be even worse.

Of course they have no problem suspending lesser-know wrestlers if they test positive for something. But if HHH ever took a test and it came up positive, you better believe the WWE would do everything they could to find a loophole.

 

[The Perfect Max]

Look, I'm going to put this short and sweet. If TNA brought in a "real" and when I say real I mean not a figure of speech, half the roster would be sacked. Plain and simples.

 

[Rising Savior]

Considering WWE's Wellness Policy is a joke, TNA's would be even worse.

Of course they have no problem suspending lesser-know wrestlers if they test positive for something. But if HHH ever took a test and it came up positive, you better believe the WWE would do everything they could to find a loophole.

Well I don't think Triple H has ever failed a Wellness policy test but I do know wwe has suspended top talent like Rey Mysterio and Randy Orton when they've failed test. As far as Tna having a Wellness policy hell who knows? Although I can't recall the last time tna suspended somebody for failing a drug test.

 

[Dizzy]

Again, they have a wellness policy. They do not test everyone ever day and you can never test anyone ever day. A DUI is something that happens outside of a ring. You cannot test a guy for a DUI.

Mr. Anderson has never done any substance or gotten in any negative press in TNA. So, why put him in that category?

WWE only installed a heavy wellness policy and rehab because of Benoit's death and the media that pretty much bashed WWE. WWE has had more stars failing policy test than any incidents in TNA quite frankly or ROH.

Nobody has died in TNA, nobody has died in a TNA ring, nobody from TNA has admitted to doing steroids or mentioned anything shady. So, again...Why the hell should we care?

This nonsense that a figure head would change it is bullshit and more idiotic nonsense from fans of low brain cells all over the Internet. If Nick aka Dolph Ziggler made his debut match and then violated policy rules in a McMahon run company than why should we believe anyone else would have an effect?

Jeff Hardy did his drug or whatever during the PPV backstage where nobody obviously saw him. There is no way of knowing about that. The only way you can criticize TNA over it is if he says "I did drugs consistently through 2010" and haven't heard a thing on that.

Matt Hardy was only fired because he was under a suspension and he pulled his DUI stunt on top of it.

Well I don't think Triple H has ever failed a Wellness policy test but I do know wwe has suspended top talent like Rey Mysterio and Randy Orton when they've failed test. As far as Tna having a Wellness policy hell who knows? Although I can't recall the last time tna suspended somebody for failing a drug test.

Desmond Wolfe & Magnus. They were supposed to face MCMG at the PPV, both failed and did not appear at the show. They were off TV for a good 4 weeks.

 

[Mercer the Ruthless]

I don't think the problem lies with TNA having a wellness Policy, the problem, at least to me lies with them enforcing it strictly. It's easy to say "we have a wellness Policy" it's another thing to show how well you enforce that policy. Look at WWE a few years back before Eddie and Benoit passed, they had (this isn't a shot at WWE btw) a wellness policy but many of their talent were rarely suspended; the death of said wrestlers was an eye-opener for WWE now they enforce the policy (at least they are enforcing it), strictly and decisively. Hopefully TNA doesn't have to lose any major players in order for them to enforce their policy, if they have one. However, if they [TNA] choose not too enforce their policy they could end up exactly in the position WWE was in back in the day.

 

[Tripleb2k1]

Mr. Anderson has never done any substance or gotten in any negative press in TNA. So, why put him in that category?

While in WWE he had served a 30 day suspension for that very reason, thats why he is in that category

 

[Rising Savior]

Desmond Wolfe & Magnus. They were supposed to face MCMG at the PPV, both failed and did not appear at the show. They were off TV for a good 4 weeks.

Really? Didn't Wolfe just get taken off tv because he had hepatitis c? Magnus failed a drug test? I thought he was taken off tv because they had nothing to do for him. With Wolfe out with Hep C and Doug Williams getting a singles push at that time I figured Magnus was no use to them. The only reason I question Tna's drug testing policy is because they've brought in guys who wwe released because they were concerned about their well being. Guys like Angle, M. Hardy, and Wolfe.

 

[UFOcalling]

Sorry, I didn't read everyone's posts here already. Having said that, I don't know if TNA needs a wellness policy...although it might help "save" some wrestlers from harming themselves.

I think everyone is really looking at Jeff Hardy and Kurt Angle when they think about the current TNA roster, in regards to a wellness policy...yes? Everyone else on the roster seems to be doing a pretty good job "policing" themselves (or at least it seems). Maybe I'm missing someone, but I think these two are probably the biggest examples of a "reason" for a TNA wellness policy to be implemented.

To be 100% honest, I don't like the idea of drug testing in general. I'm not a huge user of any mind-altering substances, although I do smoke cigarettes and drink occasionally. I still believe that human beings should have the right to put whatever they want into their own bodies; whether that includes food, drugs, alcohol, etc. I can't believe that the United States of America is nicknamed "the home of the free", when there are so many other countries that are more free than the USA is.

The major problem with this country in general, is the prohibition and stigma that go along with "illegal drugs". Obviously alcohol is legal, and why is that? There are countless of other drugs that are better for your mind and body, and won't endanger so many people (the alcohol users themselves, and the ones around them -- IE: other drivers on the road when a drunk is behind the wheel).

I believe that the workplace shouldn't have to include random drug-testing, unless it becomes a major problem. Does TNA have a major problem with drug abuse? Maybe with Hardy and Angle, but I don't see a reason why anyone else should be rigorously tested.

Both Angle and Hardy are both in the legal system (Hardy is currently, and Angle will be soon). Hardy will obviously have to take random drug screens to comply with the terms of his probation (which will last into 2014), and Angle will probably be subjected to random PBTs and possibly urine screens as well. The legal system will make sure they're clean, why does TNA have to do that too?

IMHO, I think ALL drugs should be legal. People are going to do them, whether they're legal or not...the USA might as well be taxing the users, so they can actually earn some money from this billion dollar a year business. Think about all the people locked up every day because of prohibition laws...I forget the statistics, but they're staggering. The amount of people in American prisons just for using drugs (not theft, rape, murder, or even dealing drugs) is something like 50% or more. That's incredible to me, and how dare the USA call themselves "The Land of the Free"?

We can't even get real health care in this country without paying an arm and a leg, but the legal system expects that every drug-addict should pay for treatment. I find all this prohibition (and the wellness policy) in the United States to be ridiculous, and again -- I believe that everyone should have the right to do whatever the hell they want, whether it's harmful to them or not. If they take it too far, let their friends and families take care of them (or send them to rehab). I think everyone should have freedom of choice with EVERYTHING, including drugs.

Don't trip over my soapbox on your way out of this thread (LOL)!! ...and I'm sure there will be countless people who disagree with me. Thanks for reading! IMHO, it's the freedom that TNA gives their wrestlers that make me like them more than WWE. Not just the freedom from drug-screening, but also on the microphone, with the scheduling, etc. I know a lot of you will disagree with me on that as well.

 

[blockanWo]

While in WWE he had served a 30 day suspension for that very reason, thats why he is in that category

He is not in TNA because he failed a Wellness Policy test. Hell, weve seen wellness policy violations for really stupid things in the past.

If you think a Wellness Policy like what the WWE has is going to solve anything you are sadly mistaken.

We have seen in the past with people like Jeff Hardy who simply left WWE rather than undergoing their treatment. If people arent ready to change, you cant force them.

 

[itssoeasy123]

Your damn right TNA needs a Wellness Policy. Atleast one that actually punished wrestlers for using illegal steroids of growth hormones. If wrestlers aren't punished for doing steroids, than the wrestlers won't care and take them, it's the reason why Baseball, Football, the Olympics, and other sport industries (of course pro-wrestling isn't a sport) but it's to make sure that the wrestler's are clean and healthy. Guys doing drugs, using steroids, and other illegal substances is putting their health at risk, and could cause problems for them down the road in their life.

Of course, I'm pretty sure if TNA did have a legit Wellness Policy, half the roster would be of television for a month. Angle was released because of his pain-killer addiction and he was going to go to rehab, but went to TNA instead. Jeff Hardy was released for violating the Wellness Policy, in the middle of a huge push, and we all know what happened at Victory Road would've been immediate dismissal from his contract had he been employed by Vince McMahon.

 

[GameOver]

Jeff Hardy was not released from WWE the 2nd time just an FYI he left when he was on 2 strikes to go to TNA obviously to avoid getting the sack from a wellness violation.

He was fired the first time and then he started no showing events in TNA which led to them suspending him in 2006 and his return to WWE where he again got 2 strikes then left b4 he would've been given the sack.

Both companies can blame themselves for putting him in the spotlight when he obviously couldn't handle the pressure.

I blame them as much as i believe both Hardy's should be fired and never offered another contract.

 

[Brian in Austin]

I blame Jeff Hardy for taking drugs! PERIOD!!!

 

[pessimism101]

If TNA already has a Wellness Policy, it clearly isn't working. And I don't think TNA is willing to have a serious wellness policy because they're content on taking the trash the WWE tosses out (it's a metaphor, I'm not bashing any of the wrestlers). My guess is that WWE wants to be completely different than WWE and that includes not having a wellness policy because WWE has one. I dunno.

Besides, TNA's main roster consists of ex-WWE employees who have been reprimanded by the WWE for violating their wellness policy. If TNA were to implement a similar policy, they'd have to suspend at least half their roster.

 

[kor420]

I'm pretty sure they do have one already..I do remember reading reports several times the last couple years of them testing the roster. You can't test everyone every show.

According to dixie, they do have a wellness policy that was set in place by congress if i member correctly and they do drug testing. But if they don't then they should have one in place.

You just got to watch the full video of this sneakpeek
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aW7rS02l3o4

 

[Brian in Austin]

It's interesting to me that some folks here continue to defend Jeff Hardy by statements like "he wasn't fire by WWE, he left." No kidding. He left before they booted him for yet ANOTHER violation of their wellness policy. The guy is a drug addict. I said it then, and I said it when he came to TNA, and my view hasn't changed. He's an addict! Period! And much like WWE did back in the day, TNA will turn a blind eye to it as long as he puts butts in the seats.

 

[blockanWo]

It's interesting to me that some folks here continue to defend Jeff Hardy by statements like "he wasn't fire by WWE, he left." No kidding. He left before they booted him for yet ANOTHER violation of their wellness policy. The guy is a drug addict. I said it then, and I said it when he came to TNA, and my view hasn't changed. He's an addict! Period! And much like WWE did back in the day, TNA will turn a blind eye to it as long as he puts butts in the seats.

You are kidding yourself if you think WWE was close to firing Jeff Hardy. They were fighting tooth and nail to resign him when he left.

 

[Rayne]

Again, they have a wellness policy. They do not test everyone ever day and you can never test anyone ever day.

Nor should they need to, unless they are absolutely 100% adamant on catching every cocaine user in their company. (Cocaine being one of the more popular drugs that washes out of your system quickly.) For the most direct comparison, sporting leagues which test all year round, (unlike one-off events like the Olympics), random tests around every 6 weeks are the standard recognized to catch people regardless of how they're cycling on steroids. (Not that every major sporting league does random testing every month and a half on their employees; anti-drug problems aren't about absolutely eliminating drugs from sports, they're about giving the public perception that they're trying to do something about the problem. Not to call programs ineffective, but they are the watered down result of collective bargaining.)

TNA/IW does test their employees, but they also leak to their employees when tests are occurring. There was that taping last year when they announced drug tests in advance, and half of the staff missed the taping. Rob Terry is notorious for having car trouble on testing days. There is a VAST difference between having an effective wellness policy, and having a fig leaf policy that only serves to give the impression of caring.

Mr. Anderson has never done any substance or gotten in any negative press in TNA. So, why put him in that category?

Because in the past three years he's served two suspensions for steroid use, one of which was served immediately after he went on national television (ESPN) and claimed that he had never touched steroids, only to be outed by Sports Illustrated a day or so later. I might hire a guy with a criminal record for my company, but I'm not going to forget that I hired a guy with a criminal record. Just because he didn't get it working for me doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

Kenderson didn't suddenly shed his cocoon and blossom into a rules-loving butterfly when he signed with TNA/IW; and just because someone hasn't been caught doesn't mean they aren't cutting a few corners.

WWE only installed a heavy wellness policy and rehab because of Benoit's death and the media that pretty much bashed WWE. WWE has had more stars failing policy test than any incidents in TNA quite frankly or ROH.

The WWE also publicizes when their employees are suspended for WP violations, every time. We still argue over whether TNA/IW has a WP because nary a peep gets made about any incidents from TNA/IW staff. Our only indication that they have a formal wellness policy is you claiming that's what Wolfe and Magnus were suspended for. (Which, FWIW, the official story is Wolfe injured his neck and was diagnosed with Hepatitis.) I'm not surprised, not one bit, that the WWE reports more WP violations than TNA/IW. My bank also reports more fraudulent charges than my bookie; should I trust my bookie more than my bank?

Nobody has died in TNA, nobody has died in a TNA ring, nobody from TNA has admitted to doing steroids or mentioned anything shady. So, again...Why the hell should we care?

1999- "No one's ever fallen to their deaths at a wrestling event before. Why should we care what the tension on a wrestler's support line is?"
1997, again in 2005- "This enlarged heart/steroids thing is overblown. None of our performers have actually died from doing steroids, so why the hell should we care?"

I'm glad to see you want to wait for blood on the ground before you actually care about something. "It hasn't happened yet, so it won't happen and we shouldn't think about the possibility of it happening until it happens." Remember what I was talking about when I mentioned your vulgar defenses of TNA/IW? This is it, right here. You've got multiple wrestlers being forced to take breaks because of drug problems which were allowed to get serious to the point where PPV's were being ruined. But no one's actually died yet, so what's the problem, right?

Jeff Hardy did his drug or whatever during the PPV backstage where nobody obviously saw him. There is no way of knowing about that. The only way you can criticize TNA over it is if he says "I did drugs consistently through 2010" and haven't heard a thing on that.

I love the phrasing. "His drug", implying that it was a one-time occurrence. I absolutely love your cop-out for TNA/IW too- "unless Jeff Hardy totally buries the only televised company that will hire him, you can't blame TNA/IW for anything." If someone can't keep their shit straight when they're about to go out and not just represent their company, but be one of the top guys picked to represent their company, they have a problem a bit more severe than a one time "shucks, guess I just drank too much that night!"

As management of a company, it is your imperative to recognize when your employees have a problem that will affect the well being of your business. It's not like there's a giant, empty hallway between Jeff Hardy's dressing room/trailer and the ring; several people in TNA/IW management saw Hardy before he got to the ring in no condition to wrestle. He was allowed to go out to the ring and consequentially ruin a pay-per-view. It's really easy to blame TNA/IW for this, actually. You had an employee facing felony drug counts with a history of drug abuse and they took a "hands-off" approach to him. They can't babysit Jeff 24/7, but they could also look out for their own interests in not putting a strung-out junkie in the ring during the main event of a pay-per-view.

To say that no one could have known about Jeff's problems, let alone insinuate that this was likely a one-off situation, goes to your vulgar defense of TNA/IW again.

Matt Hardy was only fired because he was under a suspension and he pulled his DUI stunt on top of it.

And because he wasn't really a draw who wasn't needed. Kurt Angle just had his second DUI incident in the past three months. (And spare me the "but maybe he just parked his car on that highway median in Montana because he couldn't find the arena, you don't KNOW he was drinking" crap.) Kurt could have ran over a fucking child while drunk and TNA/IW would find some reason to keep him aboard, which we could count on you to parrot around here. Jeff Hardy came into the company on his second chance- you don't hire someone facing felony drug charges and say "so, clean slate, right?" A company at risk from having one of their top stars get sent to jail instead has to deal with one of their top stars showing up too intoxicated to perform, and he gets a few months break and a feel good redemption program when he gets back.

Spare us this whole "everyone gets treated equally, they've got such a strong program!" crap; don't believe your own spin. The top stars in TNA/IW get away with shit. The middle-card guys don't. TNA/IW isn't about to sacrifice the few people they have that actually get people to buy tickets for the sake of something like a few pills or a little smoke.

If you want to defend TNA/IW, I won't hold that against you. I just hope you don't actually believe a lot of your own defenses. I detect a lot of hands-over-ears humming coming from your end. Hear no evil, see no evil, right?

 

[Clare]

They should have a wellness policy where if u are caugt in breach first time 2 or 3 mths suspension and then second time you are gone but too be truefull i cant see TNA enforceing a wellness policy at the moment as if they did they woiuld probebly have too send half the main eventers off i do think TNA are starting 2 crank up the pressure of thosse who abuse straoids drugs or drink as what they did with Matt but it has got me thinkin why kick Matt And keep Kurt ?? if they did have a wellness policy they should not bend the rules for anyone whether its your top star or not

 

[Brian in Austin]

You are kidding yourself if you think WWE was close to firing Jeff Hardy. They were fighting tooth and nail to resign him when he left.

Yeah....cause they really wanted to have a drug addict on their roster. (again)

 

[blockanWo]

Yeah....cause they really wanted to have a drug addict on their roster. (again)

They hired him back. Hell he failed a test then was pushed for WHC going over on HHH. They werent getting rid of him.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

If they don't have a Wellness Policy, I can't think of one remotely logical reason why they shouldn't. I don't know if TNA has a Wellness Policy or not, I know that I've read a few reports, VERY few reports, in which TNA has conducted a few drug tests. The last time I remember reading about there, there was some controversy surrounding it because I think Rob Terry was, allegedly, the only wrestler on the roster that didn't participate in those tests. I won't say for sure that he was the only one but I do know for a fact that I read he hadn't taken them and that immediately set off a few red lights.

If people don't know/think that TNA has a Wellness Policy, it's not hard to understand why. We almost never hear anything about TNA conducting drug tests, we've read interviews given by former wrestlers and other employees in which they all but come right out and say that drugs are a big issue in TNA, etc.

I love how people try to sneak in some anti-WWE remark when it comes to the Wellness Policy. Someone said the Wellness Policy in WWE was "a joke", well let's examine that for a bit. There have been a number of high profile wrestlers over the course of the Wellness Policy's implementation who have not only failed drug tests but their names have been released for everyone to know. Why is that? Because it's what a responsible company does. Failing a drug test in WWE HAS to be reported because, for one thing, investors or potential investors have to know this stuff as it might potentially have some impact for them. Also, we're forgetting that the Wellness Policy has, on at least one occassion, doubtlessly saved a wrestler's life. Remember when they discovered that MVP had an undiagnosed heart condition? A condition that could have been terminal had it not been discovered in time? So yeah, don't hand me that bullshit to say that it's worthless. If the tests wind up helping to save even one person's life in any way, then it's definitely worth it. It's just too bad that so many tragedies had to happen before WWE finally opened it's eyes.