Post by Mike on Jan 3, 2009 16:53:46 GMT -5
As reported earlier, Henry Waxman of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 30th district issued a report on the steroid problem in professional wrestling on Friday. In Waxman's report, it was revealed that fifteen of the sixty TNA wrestlers who were tested for drugs in January 2008 tested positive for steroids. Additionally, eleven other TNA wrestlers tested positive for various other drugs, so 43% of the roster were on drugs this time last year. Six wrestlers tested positive for marijuana, two wrestlers tested positive for benzodiazepines (such as xanax and valium), one wrestler tested positive for amphetamines, one wrestler tested positive for opiates, and one wrestler tested positive for propoxyphene.
It should be noted that the TNA performers were warned in advance that they would be tested, and twenty-six still failed anyway. However, they were told that they would not be punished for this baseline round of testing.
Saying 43% of the TNA roster were on drugs this time last year is actually being kind. The drug testing was not just limited to the males as the females were tested as well. This time last year, there were fifteen active female performers on the roster including Angelina Love, Awesome Kong, Christy Hemme, Crystal Louthan, Gail Kim, Jackie Moore, Karen Angle, Ms. Payton Banks, ODB, Raisha Saeed, Roxxi Laveaux, Salinas, SoCal Val, Traci Brooks, and Velvet Sky. Presumably, Sharmell wasn't tested as she was written out of television at the first TV broadcast of the year, which was a pay-per-view event, and the drug testing occurred prior to an Impact taping later that month.
We have never heard of a female wrestling performer failing and/or getting suspended for drugs, so presumably all of the "Knockouts" passed their respective drug tests. If you deduct the fifteen women from the sixty tested, that leaves forty-five male wrestlers. That would mean 33% of the male TNA performers were on steroids this time last year, with 58% of the male TNA roster being on any kind of drug.
Waxman concluded his report on TNA by saying "there are significant weaknesses in the TNA testing program."
It should be noted that the TNA performers were warned in advance that they would be tested, and twenty-six still failed anyway. However, they were told that they would not be punished for this baseline round of testing.
Saying 43% of the TNA roster were on drugs this time last year is actually being kind. The drug testing was not just limited to the males as the females were tested as well. This time last year, there were fifteen active female performers on the roster including Angelina Love, Awesome Kong, Christy Hemme, Crystal Louthan, Gail Kim, Jackie Moore, Karen Angle, Ms. Payton Banks, ODB, Raisha Saeed, Roxxi Laveaux, Salinas, SoCal Val, Traci Brooks, and Velvet Sky. Presumably, Sharmell wasn't tested as she was written out of television at the first TV broadcast of the year, which was a pay-per-view event, and the drug testing occurred prior to an Impact taping later that month.
We have never heard of a female wrestling performer failing and/or getting suspended for drugs, so presumably all of the "Knockouts" passed their respective drug tests. If you deduct the fifteen women from the sixty tested, that leaves forty-five male wrestlers. That would mean 33% of the male TNA performers were on steroids this time last year, with 58% of the male TNA roster being on any kind of drug.
Waxman concluded his report on TNA by saying "there are significant weaknesses in the TNA testing program."
