Partial Source(s): WrestleZone
.com, Wrestling Observer Newsletter
WrestleZone
.com is reporting that TNA has told talent to get ready for drug testing. Guys were asked that if they couldn’t pass a drug test within a month (the first test is only a few weeks away), to tell management ahead of time. It is unknown if the first test will be used for suspension purposes, or if it will be used as a gauge for drug levels that must do down by the next test, quite like what WWE does. In the case of WWE, the wrestlers had about three months to get off whatever they were using when the Wellness Policy was first introduced in November 2005. When the first test results came in, close to half the roster would have qualified for a suspension. No one was suspended from the first test, but were told to get their levels down. Then again, you could still pass a WWE-sanctioned drug test no matter how badly you failed it by simply having a doctor’s note.
Regarding Andrew “Test” Martin’s departure from TNA, there are a number of reasons as to why they’re not using him anymore. While Scott Steiner is a bigger “neon sign” than Martin, in the case of Martin, it is all risk and little to no reward. He didn’t really impress officials with his performances in his brief stint in TNA, which played as a key part in his departure from the company. WrestleZone
.com is reporting that another problem is that he wrote a pro-steroid column on his MySpace account just before he joined in the company. Martin explained that steroids should be allowed in professional wrestling because it’s not a competitive sport like or baseball or football. He also compared steroid usage to getting a tattoo or a woman getting breast implants. On the heels of the Congress’ steroid probe, this was probably the worst time to do a pro-steroids column.
