Steroid abuse accusations have no place in the wrestling ring, By: Michael Bertacchi

March 23, 2007

A recent article on Yahoo! News revealed professional wrestlers are the latest link in the steroid abuse scandal that has swept American sports.

According to the report, Randy Orton, Kurt Angle and even the late Eddie Guerrero have joined the ranks of athletes such as Jose Canseco and Evander Holyfield in the wake of America's attempt to clean up professional sports. But what I want to know is why.

Don't get me wrong; I firmly believe the use of performance-enhancing drugs in professional sports is just another form of cheating. It has no place in professional sports and I despise anybody pathetic enough to take the "easy way out." But professional wrestling? Seriously? Is this some sort of joke?

Of course professional wrestlers use steroids - it's practically what the entire "sport" is about. Professional wrestling isn't even a sport; it's sports entertainment. There is no real competition taking place considering everything is pre-determined. So can somebody please explain to me what harm will ever come from someone such as Orton or Angle using performance-enhancing drugs to make himself or herself bigger, stronger and more intimidating looking? If these performers' actions are not tainting their "sport" in any way, shape or form that will ultimately determine the event's outcome, what's the big deal?

Unlike baseball, football, hockey or soccer, professional wrestling is a form of entertainment first and athletic competition second. It is about showmanship and storytelling - not integrity, pride and fair play. The entire concept of professional wrestling revolves around one thing: big scary-looking men pretending to hurt each other for the crowd's enjoyment. What harm do steroids play in that?

The only (sane) argument that could be made to support this ridiculous study is that it is looking out for the health and well-being of those using these body enhancers, almost as though the people performing the study are trying to safeguard a bunch of grown men from themselves. At what age can a person finally begin making his or her own decisions?

Shouldn't these performers be able to decide what they want to do with their bodies? Or, more importantly, when will this unfair grouping of non-athletes and athletes stop? What about the average Joe or Jane Bodybuilder? Will they soon too have to worry about being publicly listed as a "cheater" in the realm of exercising for their own personal satisfaction? Shouldn't one be able to decide how he or she wants his or her body to look and what means to take in order to achieve it? As long as it isn't affecting certain things like integrity of a sport, should it really matter?

With these recent (bogus) reports in mind, I would like to propose a campaign for a report whose sole goal will be to uncover and publicly list stars in Hollywood who have had plastic surgery, reconstructive surgery or any type of unnatural method of enhancing their performance ability. Maybe public opinion of these crooked celebrities will begin to sway once big-name stars are revealed as the lying bastards they truly are, because this is the exact same premise of what's currently happening to these "sports entertainers." Doped up professional wrestlers are no different than surgically enhanced actors and actresses.