Since making headlines with Matt Riddle entering rehab after a second failure of the WWE Wellness Policy, some more reports have come out about the WWE updating their Wellness Policy, but there’s also been a twist and the truth behind it is open to interpretation.
The WWE has been at the center of the steroid and drugs debate since Vince McMahon was put on trial for allegedly supplying them to his wrestlers.
WWE Makes a Curious Update to their Wellness Policy
While he won that battle, the company would continue to face heat into the 2000s with a pair of deaths. The one that sparked the creation of the Wellness Policy was the sudden surprising death of Eddie Guerrero at the age of 38 from heart disease.
Under no circumstances is heart failure at such a young age a normal thing unless there are other things at play like drugs, recreational and performance enhancing, or some underlying issue that went undetected.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03a7J9HmRHE
The policy
The WWE policy is available to read on wwe.com and they list the prohibited drugs for everyone to see.
With drug testing being part of the policy, there is also a three strike violation system in place. For their first violation, the individual is suspended for 30 days, 60 days for their second, and a third violation a termination of their contract usually follows.
Riddle was reportedly given a choice to go to rehab or else despite it being his second offense, but that could’ve been a way to scare him straight if it’s true.
But there’s been a interesting change that’s been reported recently, and it’s one we didn’t expect to see.
The change
What’s caught several eyes is the reported change involves a softening on the stance about firing talent if they fail their third test.
The reasons for this are curious as it’s been reported that the third strike has been put on hold because of a couple of top level stars have two strikes already.
In a curious one, there’s also a reported internal fear in the WWE that talent may intentionally fail the third test to have their contract terminated.
As we mentioned above, these are just reports and/or rumors and we don’t see them being reality given the reported stance on Riddle, and the change in culture within the WWE would make any fear seem unfounded.
But then it also plays into the reports and fears that Vince McMahon could be trying to come back and the company’s protecting themselves against strengthening other companies.
This also flies in the face of logic given Vince released a ton of talent Triple H has brought back, but there’s no way for us to really know.
What do you think of the WWE softening their stance on releasing talent after their third violation? Is it legit or just rumors?
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