Sadly, when many wrestling superstars told 80s and 90s kids to eat their vitamins, these famous men were taking a different sort of medication behind the scenes. Beyond the spotlight and outside the ring, some legendary wrestlers (and other athletes for that matter) succumbed to PED (performance-enhancing drug) abuse and addiction for one singular purpose: to look good and fit. After all, you cannot look like a weakling when you are the idol of millions of boys and girls around the globe, right? Unfortunately, though, once incident involving anabolic steroids was so severe and so dangerous that, ultimately, it almost brought down World Wrestling Entertainment. So what drug-related event was so terrible that it nearly destroyed one of the most beloved sports companies on the planet? Let’s take a closer look and find out more.
A Different Breed of Sports
Back in 1993, Vince McMahon (CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment) faced charged issued by the U.S. Attorney (Eastern District of New York) for trafficking anabolic steroids and distributing them to his strongmen and powerlifters who made up his band of wrestling all-stars. Likewise, McMahon was also charged for supplying a Pennsylvania doctor with a prescription pad to supply the drugs to his wrestlers at WWE (then known as the World Wrestling Federation). At first, you might be surprised to hear how an American icon like McMahon could possibly be responsible for such a horrendous act, to this day, officials believe the steroid incident is 100% real.
Rowdy Roddy Piper
At the time, McMahon reputedly hired a urologist from Hershey, Pennsylvania to supply his boys with enough anabolic steroids to keep them fit as bloated fiddles for the wrestling showcases, and one of the strongest testimonies in the Superstars’ favor came from one beloved member of the WWF. The adored “heel” of the 90s, Rowdy Roddy Piper explained that chocolate was not the only thing that attracted his friends (or himself, for that matter) to the little town of Hershey. Based on Piper’s accounts, the urologist would hand out PEDs like candy to the wrestlers at WWF.
On one hand, you can understand where the drive to pump up superstars stems from. After all, WWE (and WWF) always served as a means of sports entertainment (meaning every act is 100% rehearsed and pre-written). However, as with all positive aspects of life, even the brightest moments can come crumbling down whenever something as dangerous as drugs is involved.
Always remember that performance enhancing drugs do not have control over your life. You do. Are you suffering from a substance use disorder or a severe form of addiction? Do you have a friend or family member suffering from one or more of these debilitating illnesses? If you do, get in touch with Asana Recovery today. Our counselors and healthcare experts are ready to walk you through every step of the detox and withdrawal process and rehabilitation and guide you towards living a happier, healthier, and freer lifestyle. While the road to recovery might not be an easy road to travel, we promise to help you every step of the way. Take the first step to stay fit, healthy, and safe.
The time for you to take back control of your life is now. If you are interested in one of our residential treatment or supervised detoxification/withdrawal programs, we are ready and waiting to speak with you at your disclosure. Call Asana now at (949) 438-4504 to learn how to overcome your drug abuse or addiction troubles today.
