The letter released by TNA President Dixie Carter reads:
"We are writing to request information regarding the response of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) to allegations of pervasive use of steroids and other drugs by professional wrestlers. The tragic death of Mr. Chris Benoit and his family has focused attention on the seriousness of the problem. Illegal steroid use in professional sports has gained plenty of attention, but the record suggests that the problem is most pervasive and deadly in pro wrestling, an unregulated form of entertainment that is watched on TV and in arenas by an estimated 20 million fans a week, including children. See e.g., attached USA TODAY investigative report, "High death rate lingers behind fun facade of pro wrestling."
As Chairman and Ranking Member, respectively, of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, the subcommittee with jurisdiction over sports-related matters, we are monitoring this situation very closely. We request a briefing on this matter at the earliest possible time. We also are considering a hearing on this matter, and whether there is a need for Federal regulation to protect the health and safety of the wrestlers.
In the 109 th Congress, the Subcommittee held a hearing on "Steroids in Sports: Cheating the System and Gambling Your Health," and reported legislation, H.R. 1862, the Drug Free Sports Act World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. implemented a Talent Wellness Program in February 2006. Please advise the Subcommittee by close of business on August 28, 2007, whether TNA has adopted a similar program.
If so, please provide the Subcommittee with a copy of your program, as well as any other relevant records detailing the specifics of the program as well as TNA' s implementation and interpretation thereof. Records include memoranda, correspondence, and electronic communications. Please also describe any and all actions that TNA has taken - either within or outside any such program - to detect and prevent steroid abuse. Information, including the aggregate number of random tests conducted in each month this year, would assist the Subcommittee in its review, and we request that you provide that information, as well. We are sending similar information requests to other wrestling leagues.
Should you wish to discuss this matter further, please do not hesitate to contact us, or have your staff contact
While I think this is good that Congress is focusing attention on the steroid problem in pro wrestling, I'm not sure that it will do any good. The culture inside organizations like TNA and WWE have to change first. Congress can subpoena Vince McMahon and other people like him and demand answers, but threats won't sway someone like McMahon, who's already beaten the feds in court.
All that will happen is McMahon will do skits in his WWE programming, like he did when the Parents Television Council (PTC) tried to get his weekly Raw! and Smackdown! programs off the air. He created a tag team called the Right to Censure; they wore suits as their wrestling attire and "converted" WWE stars with the most obnoxious gimmicks to their "cause", which was to get immorality, barely clothed women, bad language and foreign objects like tables or chairs out of the squared circle. The Godfather became the Goodfather. It was quite clever. The PTC didn't appreciate the parody.
Vince has already started a parody of Congress with his character, Mr. McMahon, dominating the hearing and then strutting out of the hearing room with a satisfied smirk on his face.
He'll dare Congress to take him on. He'll make a fortune in the process by putting more asses in the seats to watch his antics. It's happened EVERY time someone's gone after him.
Should be interesting to watch. Vince is cocky enough and arrogant enough to thumb his nose up at Congress--and his high-powered and high-priced attorneys will probably get him off of whatever they throw at him.
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