Steroids Illustrated

In the mid 1990's there was a dark cloud that engulfed the WWE. Mainstream news picked up on stories of steroid distribution within the company. Eventually, owner Vince McMahon was indicted and faced trial.

He survived the scandal after being found not guilty in federal court in August of 1994.

The stars that had toned down in the time the scandal broke started to get big again. The age of the muscled performer returned but with it came a spate of deaths attributed to steroid use.

And there is another black cloud on the horizon.

The sports news magazine from the United States, Sports Illustrated has uncovered an ilegal ring of internet drug agencies that have been selling HGH (Human Growth Hormone) and other enhancement drugs over the internet.

There have been many famous sports stars linked with this story from a wide range of sports and disciplines. Five of the most popular names are professional wrestlers.

Edge, Gregory Helms, Randy Orton, Rey Mysterio from the WWE as well as Kurt Angle from TNA all purchased steroids from the places in the spotlight according to the scoop.

With just a fortnight before the WWE's most imprtant show of the year it asks questions how the company will deal with the naming of these individuals.

After the paing of Eddie Guerrero in the Autumn of 2005 the WWE installed a wellness policy to control the amount of prescription and recreation drugs their workers were using. A lot of fines, suspensions and firings were levied as a result but in recent months it seems that performers are just as big as they were before the death of the Mexican superstar.

The wrestlers in question are not in legal trouble according to the story., The crackdown appears to be on the distributers who have rubber-stamped the sale of these drugs. All these purchases were made before the installation of the policy as well so contradictions between the company stance against steroids and these performers using them will not happen.

Certain questions will be asked, though.

Are the performers still using illegal methods to look good? Will the company stick to their wellnes policy in light of their top stars getting caught with their hand in the proverbial cookie jar? How many more performers will end up dead as a result of enlarged hearts and other causes attributed to steroid use?

This Sports Illustated story has the potential to be another black eye for professinal sports and wrestling. It will either be the stat of something big or will be swept under the carpet as another media witch-hunt.