Yes

by William Clark II

Created on: July 05, 2007

With Steroid use being epidemic in pro wrestling, there is very strong evidence indicating that Steroid use was a factor in the murder suicide of Chris Benoit and his family. Chris Benoits's own Doctor was giving him a 10 month supply of steroids every month much more than needed for his real medical condition, that itself was caused by steroid abuse to begin with.

Benoit did need hormone replacement therapy, as his long term abuse of steroids made his testicles useless in producing testosterone. Long term use will do this because the testes once no longer needing to produce the testosterone themselves, will stop doing so, and shrink, and at times even atrophy and need to be removed.

This drug will not only mess with your body, it is proven that it will screw up every part of it, including the mind. Testosterone is a powerful hormone, and if more is in your body then needed, it wreaks havoc, including mania, depression from withdrawal, and uncontrollable anger.

While it is sad that someone would resort to such a despicable act, due to roid rage, what is worse is seeing the likes of Vince McMahon, wearily giving a televised eulogy for something that he could have helped to prevent. This is not just his fault entirely. As it was Benoit's choice to use te drug,the Doctors greed in giving 10 times more then medically necessary, and the wrestling culture itself, that ignores steroid and narcotic abuse, and does nothing to discourage it.

This stems from the early history of staged wrestling, as it was once held at fairs and carnivals, along with the likes of Freak Shows and games of chance. Now it has become big business for a small yet die hard core of fans. Who can watch a fight/soap opera/comedy routine with a little eye candy of the female persuasion,to ogle at from time to time.

Please don't think I'm trying to be condescending when I point out The often overlooked part of professional wrestling,in that these men are not athletes, they are actors that give very physically demanding performances. They work on average 300 days out of the year,with comparatively little pay, for such a dangerous occupation. Benoit himself only averaged $500,000 a year.

Since they are not part of a legitimate athletic association, they had to form their own "Federations" to give the heir of legitimacy to their profession as they do not qualify to be recognized by the M.M.A. (Mixed Martial Arts Association), or any other true athletic association, mostly because most the wrestling producers and managers refuse to make mandatory drug testing a requirement, which all Athletic Associations require before allowing any new applicant's. Also the legitimate associations recognize that the fights are not true competitions, and so will not accept Pro Wrestling of the commercial type into their association.

The result is that the commercial Wrestling companies have made their own Federations that are not true athletic associations, as you or I could form our own wrestling association, almost as easily as getting a business license.

This is not to say the wrestlers are not working hard, but the wrestlers try to use moves that minimize body damage, while giving the appearance of real wrestling. Being that they do a lot of acrobatic stunts and fall hard on the ring floor and sometimes concrete, they still do get injured. The choice is get hooked on steroids and painkillers and keep working through injuries, or lose the contract that they had to fight so hard to get in the first place.

The owners of the many varied wrestling business's also do nothing to keep the men from engaging in such a reckless lifestyle choice, as they are more interested in keeping their wrestlers working the shows, and making them money. Another big reason for the abuse of this drug is because a bigger wrestler is seen as more marketable, as fans of this entertainment like to be enthralled by their stature.

Many attempts to set better working conditions for Wrestlers or to Unionize them have resulted in those men that tried looking out for the well being of themselves, and fellow actors, is that those men became black listed, just as Roddy Piper had been. Wrestling is a cut throat business, with hundreds of small time promoters trying to grab their share, and doing so by any means they can. The profit margin is so thin for this entertainment medium, that there is no real incentive for the wrestlers to be treated better, as you can always find another juiced up muscle man to dress up in a costume and parade around the ring.

Along with this culture of accepting drug use, many excuses are made that the they must take steroids to rebuild damaged muscle, and to pad themselves against injury. From personal experience as a Krav Maga athlete, this is just not true! Steroids do repair muscle, but few people ever need more than a couple of weeks on very low level steroids after surgery etc., and they use steroids prescribed by a legitimate Doctor, using something like Prednisone, a steroid used by people for asthma, and no real athlete would use them, due to the side effects.

Powerful and illegal steroids are used by pro wrestlers to build bigger muscles than could ever be needed, which is pointless, as a lighter more flexible body is far better to avoid injury than a hulking body that carries more weight then the frame can support and makes your center of gravity denser upon impact with the ground.

Tragedies such as with Benoit and his little boy and wife will continue, until the fans stop accepting these men as entertainment idols, to be adored and praised, and demand accountability for their actions,just as is done for all other athletes.

We hear many other athletes, be it baseball,football,ru nners and of all other sports imaginable getting caught using steroids. While it's disgraceful that the athletes do this, the fact they are being caught show that they are being drug tested, by their athletic associations.

The way to help change this entertainment medium for the benefit of everyone, is as simple as no longer watching the programs, buying the merchandise, or going to the shows until all big time promoters make it mandatory that their men and women join a real Wrestling Federation and undergo drug testing by independent labs. The smaller promoters will then have to follow suit or be left behind. Those whose lives ruined by violence, sickness and completely preventable tragedy, such as Benoit and his family deserve better.

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