UPDATE: Click here to read Roman Reigns’ statement.
ORIGINAL: The Road To WrestleMania is a really bad time for this kind of news to come out. But Roman Reigns’ name was mentioned by a convicted steroid dealer and now the question remains how WWE will deal with this news.
The fact is Roman Reigns could very well be suspended for this and if it happened, he would be facing a second strike of a 60 day hiatus from WWE due to his June 2016 violation which cost him 30 days of action.
2 months is an awfully long time to be absent from WWE television, especially when WWE is probably building a big match, if not the biggest match at WrestleMania 34 around him.
In 2007, WWE suspended eleven performers when their names were released as part of the Signature Pharmacy ordeal including names from Booker T to Santino Marella. Other names on the list included Randy Orton, Edge, William Regal, and more. Now it looks like another big steroid dealer is pointing the finger at Roman Reigns and if there could be some evidence on the matter, then WWE might have to take action as well.
Dave Meltzer was asked about whether this was a big story and he said there’s no weight to the comments from Richard Rodriguez alone who is the dealer in question. But if there can be some evidence to prove Roman was indeed a client of Rodriguez, then this could turn into something much bigger.
WWE’s current Wellness Policy states a performer gets three strikes until they’re terminated. Therefore, if this becomes a bigger issue then Roman Reigns might be looking at one more strike until he’s looking for another job. However, WWE can always hire him back after a year and take a strike off, but it is certainly better to have zero strikes than two.
But at this time, WWE isn’t commenting on the situation and they migtht be better off just not mentioning it.
Unless there are records confirming this, it means nothing to me that a guy in jail says some names. If there are records, then WWE would have to suspend him and it would become a story because of Mania. https://t.co/DnBcu3qgoW
— Dave Meltzer (@davemeltzerWON) January 17, 2018
In case you’re in need of a refresher, here is the excerpt from the WWE Wellness Policy in question including the portion concerning alcohol, marijuana, and the redemption program:
A. FOR POSITIVE DRUG TESTS OTHER THAN MARIJUANA AND ALCOHOL
First Violation:First Violation: In the event of an initial positive test for substances prohibited by this Policy other than marijuana and alcohol, the WWE Talent shall be suspended for thirty (30) days, fined an amount equal to thirty (30) days, pay deducted from the WWE Talent’s downside guarantee on a weekly basis and WWE will publicly disclose the WWE Talent’s name and duration of the suspension and indicating a first violation the Policy.
Second Violation:In the event of a second positive test for substances prohibited by this Policy other than marijuana and alcohol, the WWE Talent shall be suspended for sixty (60) days, fined an amount equal to sixty (60) days, pay deducted from the WWE Talent’s downside guarantee on a weekly basis and WWE will publicly disclose the WWE Talent’s name and duration of the suspension and indicating a second violation the Policy.
Third Violation:In the event of a third positive test for substances prohibited by this Policy other than marijuana and alcohol, the WWE Talent’s contract with WWE will be terminated and WWE will publicly disclose the WWE Talent’s name and that WWE Talent’s contract was terminated for a third violation of the Policy.
For the purposes of the Policy, a violation is defined as a penalty under this Section 15 A that imposes both a fine and suspension.
Any WWE Talent, who leaves the WWE for any reason with a first or second violation on his/her record, will maintain said violation count on his/her record from the time he/she departs WWE until the time he/she returns, if ever, to the WWE.
In addition, any WWE Talent, who is terminated by the WWE for a third violation of the Policy, will be prohibited from returning to the WWE for at least one (1) year. If any WWE Talent, who is terminated for a third violation of the Policy, is permitted by the WWE,
in its sole discretion, to return to the WWE, then (1) such WWE Talent must test negative for all prohibited substances under this Policy during the pre-contract screening process; (2) such WWE Talent will return to the WWE with a first and second violation of this Policy against his/her record; (3) such WWE Talent must undergo the mandatory unannounced follow-up testing set forth in Section 8 C (1) of the Policy for a period of at least one (1) year after execution of his/her new contract with WWE; and (4) such WWE Talent will automatically enter the Violation Redemption Program as defined below.
B. FOR POSITIVE MARIJUANA DRUG TESTS
iIn the event of any positive test for marijuana, the WWE Talent shall be fined Two Thousand Five Hundred US Dollars ($2,500.00) per positive test, which shall be deducted from the WWE Talent’s downside guarantee.
C. FOR POSITIVE ALCOHOL SUBSTANCE TESTS
In the event of a positive test for alcohol, the WWE Talent shall be fined Two Thousand Five Hundred US Dollars ($2,500.00) per positive test, which shall be deducted from the WWE Talent’s downside guarantee.
D. REDEMPTION PROGRAM
A WWE talent who has “two” violations under the Policy may, subject to Medical Director approval, enter the Redemption Program. The Redemption Program is an eighteen (18) month process that requires the following:
- An initial assessment conducted by the Medical Director (or, as the case may be, an addiction specialist recommended by the Medical Director) who will analyze the addiction related issues and health related concerns then being experienced by the WWE Talent, develop proposed treatments, therapies and/or support programs that may assist the WWE Talent in managing these issues/concerns and determine initial entry date for the WWE Talent into the Redemption Program;
- Compliance with the assessment recommendations made by the Medical Director (or, as the case may be, an addiction specialist recommended by the Medical Director) for the duration of the eighteen (18) month program;
- Mandatory unannounced follow-up testing as set forth in Section 8(C) (1) of the Policy; and
- No violations under the Policy for eighteen (18) consecutive months after initial entry into the Redemption Program.
Upon successful completion of the Redemption Program, the WWE Talent shall request the PA, with the approval of the Medical Director, to delete one (1) of the two (2) violations of record for such WWE Talent. In the event the PA determines in favor of the request, the violation record for such WWE Talent will then be amended to reflect the reduction of a violation leaving the WWE Talent with only one (1) violation under the Policy.
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