Top WWE names emerge in doping scandal

The WWE was rocked again today, afterseveral of wrestling's top names emerged in the Albany district attorney's probe into a widespread Internet doping scandal.

The wrestling conglomerate based in Stamford announced that it will suspend 10 of its biggest stars for violation of its wellness policy.

Top wrestlers Randy Orton, Charles Haas, Jr., Adam "Edge" Copeland, Robert "Booker T" Huffman, Shane Helms, Mike Bucci, Anthony Carelli, John "Johnny Nitro" Hennigan, Darren "William Regal" Matthews, Ken "Mr. Kennedy" Anderson and Chavo Guerrero were all identified as clients of Signature Pharmacy in Orlando, the site raided by Albany County and Florida law enforcement agencies in February for distributing steroids and other prescription drugs to clients who had not been examined by doctors. The investigation is part of a probe into illegal Internet drug distribution by Albany D.A. David Soares.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/2007/08/30/2007-08-30_top_wwe_names_emerge_in_doping_scandal.html

And from WWE.com.

Wellness Policy Suspensions

Written: August 30, 2007 Based on independent information received from investigators from the Albany County, NY D.A.'s office, WWE has today, under the penalty provisions of its wellness policy, issued suspension notices to 10 of its performers for violations. It has been WWE's practice not to release the names of those who have been suspended, but notice has been sent to all WWE performers that names of anyone who is suspended under the Wellness Policy as of November 1 will be made public.

http://www.wwe.com/inside/news/wellnesspolicysuspensions

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Does this mean Punk will win the title?

You posted this a split second before i did...touche.Dark_Hylian8

It happens.

i am flaberghasted....are they suspended as of today?-The_Chris-

I'm not sure.....Possible.

Is anyone else as shocked as I am that Dave Batista isn't on that list?HallowBastion

Chris Masters also.

[QUOTE="HallowBastion"]Is anyone else as shocked as I am that Dave Batista isn't on that list?oshane_leagull

Chris Masters also.

Chavo? That's a surprised. :shock:

Bobby Lashley also isn't there and thats also surpriseing. :shock:

[QUOTE="HallowBastion"]Is anyone else as shocked as I am that Dave Batista isn't on that list?oshane_leagull

Chris Masters also.

Well they aren't on that list, but ESPN has put up a different list and Batista and Masters are both on there.

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WWE did not release the names of those suspended. A source close to the investigation said that WWE was told that the following wrestlers were among the clients of one of the pharmacies under investigation, Signature of Orlando: Shoichi Funaki, Dave Bautista, Adam "Edge" Copeland, Chris "Masters" Mordetsky, John "Johnny Nitro" Hennigan, and Shane Helms. Chris Benoit, the wrestler who killed his wife and son before hanging himself in June, was also a Signature client, as were two other wrestlers who recently died, Eddie Guerrero and Brian "Crush" Adams.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=2998062

[QUOTE="oshane_leagull"]

[QUOTE="HallowBastion"]Is anyone else as shocked as I am that Dave Batista isn't on that list?Rage11

Chris Masters also.

Well they aren't on that list, but ESPN has put up a different list and Batista and Masters are both on there.

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WWE did not release the names of those suspended. A source close to the investigation said that WWE was told that the following wrestlers were among the clients of one of the pharmacies under investigation, Signature of Orlando: Shoichi Funaki, Dave Bautista, Adam "Edge" Copeland, Chris "Masters" Mordetsky, John "Johnny Nitro" Hennigan, and Shane Helms. Chris Benoit, the wrestler who killed his wife and son before hanging himself in June, was also a Signature client, as were two other wrestlers who recently died, Eddie Guerrero and Brian "Crush" Adams.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=2998062

Say it ain't so! :o

i am flaberghasted....are they suspended as of today?-The_Chris-

Well if Orton for example is suspended, that's very unlikely that he will, seeing as he's involved in a major storyline/feud right now, so he'd probably use out his suspension at a later date.

[QUOTE="Rage11"][QUOTE="oshane_leagull"]

[QUOTE="HallowBastion"]Is anyone else as shocked as I am that Dave Batista isn't on that list?wallymartin

Chris Masters also.

Well they aren't on that list, but ESPN has put up a different list and Batista and Masters are both on there.

-

WWE did not release the names of those suspended. A source close to the investigation said that WWE was told that the following wrestlers were among the clients of one of the pharmacies under investigation, Signature of Orlando: Shoichi Funaki, Dave Bautista, Adam "Edge" Copeland, Chris "Masters" Mordetsky, John "Johnny Nitro" Hennigan, and Shane Helms. Chris Benoit, the wrestler who killed his wife and son before hanging himself in June, was also a Signature client, as were two other wrestlers who recently died, Eddie Guerrero and Brian "Crush" Adams.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=2998062

Say it ain't so! :o

XD, Funaki on there threw me off too. And he's listed first on there too!

[QUOTE="oshane_leagull"] [QUOTE="HallowBastion"]Is anyone else as shocked as I am that Dave Batista isn't on that list?wwe4ever_in05

Chris Masters also.

Chavo? That's a surprised. :shock:

Bobby Lashley also isn't there and thats also surpriseing. :shock:

EDIT: If Johnny Nitro does not lose the ECW Title I am going to be pissed!

This makes me sad. :( Although looking on the bright side, suspending all of these guys shows that the WWE is committed to cleaning it's superstars up.wallymartin

EDIT: Its worth noting as we jump to conclusions:

MAJOR NEWSPAPER NAMES WWE WRESTLERS THAT WERE CLIENTS OF ONLINE PHARMACY BUSTED FOR DISTRIBUTING STEROIDS AND OTHER DRUGS
by Buck Woodward @ 5:42:36 PM on 8/30/2007

Following WWE's announcement that it has suspended 10 stars for Wellness Policy violations, the New York Daily News has an article online listing the names of WWE stars that were identified as clients of Signature Pharmacy in Orlando, the site raided by law enforcement agencies in February for distributing drugs (including steroids) to clients that had not been examined by doctors.

It is important to note that the list of names in the Daily News article is NOT the list of the ten wrestlers that were suspended today, and is NOT an indication of any illegal actions on their part. This list is simply wrestlers that were clients of the Signature Pharmacy. When we have more information on this story, we will report it.

But it is highly coincidental.

Just saying here that Edge admitted on TV that he took steroids when he came back from injury so this could have to do with that. I'm pretty sure Helms admitted to using steroids because of injury as well.

Wow... I'm so puzzled right now as to what's going on. This is all very sad news. I'm a little curious though...

Nitro is getting suspended...does Punk get the title?

So Regal is suspended too, isn't he the GM? What happens now, a new GM?

King Bookah gone? Dang...

Mr. Kennedy?... Kennedy? So what is Vince planning on doing with the father storyline. Is Umaga gonna be his long lost son?

Chavo? This is the one I'm most surprised at. Seriously, come on Chavo, did you learn nothing through Eddie? It's really dissapointing for me especially seeing him still wear that EG wristband all the time.

http://www.pwtorch.com/artman/publish/article_21530.shtml

Sports Illustrated reports tonight the names of 14 WWE once or currently contracted performers who received steroids and HGH from Signature Pharmacy. Included among the names is Ken Anderson, a/k/a Ken Kennedy, who stated recently he had stopped taking steroids when the Wellness Policy was instituted.

KEY EXCERPTS:

--As the WWE is embattled by charges that its wrestlers die early and unexpectedly with alarming frequency, it must now counter evidence that the culture is awash in illicit drug use. That cause wasn't helped on Thursday, when, based on information provided to the WWE by the Albany District Attorney's office, the organization suspended 10 wrestlers for violating the company's drug policy.

--Two weeks prior to Eddie Guerrero's death on Nov. 13, 2005, he was sent nandrolone, testosterone, and anastrozole. Guerrero died in a Minneapolis hotel room due to what a coroner later ruled as heart disease, complicated by an enlarged heart resulting from a history of anabolic steroid use.

--Chavo Guerrero, who found his uncle Eddie dead in the Minneapolis hotel room, received, among other drugs, somatropin (HGH), nandrolone and anastrozole between April 2005 and May 2006.

--Starting in September 2004 through February 2007, Randy Orton received somatropin, nandrolone, stanozolol.

--John Hennigan, a/k/a Johnny Nitro, a.k.a. Johnny Morrison, is the current WWE Extreme Championship Wrestling's heavyweight champion. Between June 2006 and February 2007 he was prescribed somatropin, anastrozole, testosterone, stanozolol and chorionic gonadotropin, a hormone produced naturally during pregnancy. (HCG is taken by anabolic steroid users to stimulate the production of testosterone, which is suppressed as a result of steroid use.)

--Ken Anderson, a/k/a Mr. Kennedy, lost to Eddie Guerrero in Guerrero's final match on Nov. 11, 2005. Kennedy received shipments of anastrozole, somatropin and testosterone between October 2006 and February 2007.

--Brian Adams, a/k/a Crush, who retired from the pro circuit in 2001, was found dead of unknown causes on Aug. 13. He received nandrolone, testosterone and Somatropin or HGH in December 2006.

Umaga was also listed by SI, a name not reported by the New York Daily News or ESPN.com in its initial reports.

Full Story - Including More Details of What Each Wrestler Received and When.

Can WWE afford tosuspend all of those names? I think a large pay cut would be highly more effective. Pay only 30 to 40% of their salary and they'll soon quit, I think.Total-KO

Why would they want them to quit? They would've released them all if they didn't want them in the company.

[QUOTE="Total-KO"]Can WWE afford tosuspend all of those names? I think a large pay cut would be highly more effective. Pay only 30 to 40% of their salary and they'll soon quit, I think.SwimPUNK

Why would they want them to quit? They would've released them all if they didn't want them in the company.

I meant quit their act in drug taking.

What saddens me is that Eddie was shipped these drugs two weeks before his death. I mean, we all thought he was clean ever since his return to WWE and he was still basically on drugs.

I am very angry with Ken Kennedy. I see him on Fox News and heard a clip from him on a radio show talking about how he only did roids before he came to WWE, and stopped all because of the wellness policy. Now we find out he was doing steriods from October 2006 to February 2007. I believed him, you know he sounded sincere about it, but he flat out lied and looks like a fool now. As a fan of his, this has made me lose some respect for him. I mean don't show up on behalf of the company if you're just going to bull****.

WWE attorney Jerry McDevitt appeared on "On The Record" on FOX News today. Highlights are below.

* McDevitt said that WWE met with investigators today who said that WWE performers were clients of Signature Pharmacy. He said that WWE officials told the investigators that once the information was confirmed, they would act on it, and once it was confirmed, Vince McMahon did act on it by suspending 10 wrestlers.

* McDevitt said that two more suspensions may come down tomorrow once they confirm the information with the talent.

* McDevitt said that wrestlers have been told that they will be publicly identified in the future in hopes of bringing more transparency to the program and serve as a deterent to wrestlers.

* McDevitt said that this is not just a WWE problem. He said that Signature Pharmacy was sending drugs to policemen, firemen, and pro athletes. He said he heard that the NFL will be making an announcement soon. He said that human growth hormone is now the drug of choice and there is no way to test for that.

I think this is all just a lame roos. They are just copying off of baseball from last year. What happened there, nothing!

Man, things just keep getting worse for the WWE. I honestlythink if the whole Benoit situation hadnt happened, this would probably be completely overlooked. But its gotta be done.

And boy, is WWE in a ROUGH spot with those suspensions. Orton, Morrison, Booker, Regal, and especially Kennedy are all involved in major storylines. Cant wait to see what happens there. If Edge wasnt injured it would be even worse.