My Monday column for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review is all about Brock Lesnar and the impact of his potential doping violation. Here’s an excerpt:
We learned on Friday that Brock Lesnar is potentially guilty of an anti-doping violation of U.S. Anti-Doping Agency testing which puts a lot of business in jeopardy.
A key word is potentially. That’s all we know at the moment as an investigation is in progress into the results of a test taken prior to his big UFC 200 win earlier this month. Lesnar can be found guilty on the highest count, which deems he knew of his violation. He also can be found guilty of the violation, but not knowingly and innocent of malice.
Regardless of whether Lesnar is found guilty on any level or cleared of any wrongdoing, it doesn’t change the flags raised. Lesnar looks like a physical freak of nature. You have to see him to believe him and even those who see him choose not to believe it’s all natural. So when the possibility of a drug test failure arrives, it arrives loudly and doesn’t go away quietly.
I can speak from experience of many times being around a group of people in a public setting while Lesnar is shown on TV — it’s so common to hear someone say, “Oh, man, that guy is taking something.”
Whether it’s true or not, this news not only could cause UFC to take action but WWE isn’t immune to the effects, either.
WWE has its wellness policy which randomly tests talent several times a year. If Lesnar is found guilty via the USADA testing, a natural question I’m already seeing brew on social media is to WWE and how often has he been tested by them? Does Lesnar being on a part-time schedule alter any testing scheduling or methods? If he’s guilty of a violation which causes a change in the record books to his UFC 200 fight in Nevada, does New York allow him to work WWE SummerSlam in August in Brooklyn?
A lot of question marks I’m putting down, but that’s because all we can do right now is question and think of the ramifications and how wide they could spread.
CLICK HERE for my prediction of if I think he’s guilty and what happens with SummerSlam.
