Introduction

 
Professional wrestling is not a sport but a form of entertainment. They're not supposed to get hurt while wrestling, but the sad fact is wrestlers get hurt many times during their careers.

When wrestlers sign contracts, they are guaranteed a certain amount of money. They get paid by the number of appearances and matches they participate in. It's always in a wrestler's best interest not to get hurt during their career as it could severely hurt them financially. Some wrestlers hate getting injured as "their spot" will be lost to someone else on the card.

Inevitably, wrestlers do get hurt and some use painkillers to ease the pain so they can continue wrestling. This is exactly what happened to Eddie Guerrero and is the main reason why Kurt Angle left the WWE for a lighter schedule with rival organization, TNA Wrestling. Others have turned to steroids to bulk up in the hopes of making it into the main events. This is where the argument lies and in some cases, the trouble usually begins.

The media always likes to eat up how dangerous professional really is. They are likely to falsely accuse that most wrestlers are nothing but meat-headed steroid junkies. The media also love to remind people the amazing number of wrestlers who have died over the years.

On the other hand, the WWE has campaigned against these accusations from the media and set up the "Stand Up For WWE" campaign last year - highlighting the fact the business actually is a safe place to work in.

Is professional wrestling really a deadly profession or is the media putting everything out of proportion?

The Media

Here is a graph from data compiled by About.com looking at the number of pro-wrestlers who have died during the year 1985 - 2011.

It's alarming to see that most of the pro-wrestlers die before the age of 50. Shockingly, over the last 16 years, 7 pro-wrestlers have died each year.

Sports Illustrated posted its own opinion on this matter back in 2007. It compared pro-wrestling to other American sports and mostly explained the high death rate was due to heavy drug use. Back in the '80s, heavy steroid use was common and since wrestling was not a real sport, steroids wasn't considered to be illegal to use in the business.

Popeater.com interviewed former WWE wrestler turned UFC fighter, Brock Lesnar about his time wrestling for the WWE and about some of the dangers that could lie ahead for some wrestlers. It appears that the hardest things to overcome is the "gruelling schedule". Brock Lesnar said "There's no off season, there's no time for resting because, if you're resting, you're not making money."

If a wrestler gets injured, Brock Lesnar says that most of them will use painkillers to ease the pain as they don't want to lose money from resting. This causes a cycle of problems as wrestlers often don't want to take time off to heal their injuries. Although they are still paid something during their time off, it is nothing compared to the amount of money that is made when they are out there appearing on every show.

The Wrestling Company

Following on from the video, WWE posted a press release on its official website of the number of changes the company has made in the last few years that the media has failed to report.

One of the quotes WWE posted was from the Connecticut Hearst Newspaper saying "its reputation as a business that turned a blind eye to steroid use and other activities by its wrestlers that some critics say have contributed to the deaths of a high number of them."

In reality, with the introduction of WWE's Talent Wellness Policy, the company has prohibited the "use of anabolic steroids and performance enhancing drugs, masking agents, the abuse of prescription medications, and the use, possession and/or distribution of illegal drugs."

It is evident from the above that the WWE is taking some necessary steps to ensure that its wrestlers are healthy. In a way, the media reports that constantly bash the fact that nothing has been done to help the industry are biased.

In an effort to further increase the safety of its wrestlers, WWE also banned the use of steel chair shots to the head. As the Baltimore Sun reported, "the WWE will penalize through fine and/or suspension" if a wrestler does hit another wrestler on the head using a steel chair. The author went on to say this is a good move from the WWE to eliminate the number of concussions wrestlers have had over the years.

Inside Pulse Wrestling's Charlie Reneke wrote an article defending the company's policy for promoting the "Stand Up To WWE" campaign. Ever since the death of Eddie Guerrero in late 2005,  he states the WWE "has placed multiple safeguards to protect the wrestlers and to protect themselves in the future." He also explains the fact that the WWE pays for its wrestlers to go to rehabilitation. This further shows that the WWE is continuing to make significant steps to improve the health and well-being of not only its own wrestlers, but is showing how the whole wrestling industry should be run right now.

Conclusion

The numbers don't lie and the professional wrestling industry is a dangerous profession. The fact that a number of wrestlers die before they reach the age of 50 should tell that something is not right. However, the WWE has done a good thing by eliminating steroid and drug use completely. Not only that, but the WWE has banned chair shots to the head to prevent other long-term injuries occurring on a frequent basis.

It's not right for the media to downplay the efforts that are currently being made by the WWE to become a healthy business. Their efforts should be commended. However, I would have to say the schedule is still a rough road for many wrestlers. For the WWE to truly prevent further early deaths, a paid off-season to give time for the wrestlers to heal their injuries should be the next step to ensure the safety and well-being in the future of their wrestlers

References

Cohen, E. (2011). Wrestling's Dirty Secret. Retrieved 16/08/2011, from http://prowrestling.about.com/od/whatsrealwhatsfake/a/wrestlersdeaths.htm

Deford, F. (2007). A deadly phenomenon - Pro wrestling's mortality rate holds no peer in sports. Retrieved 22/08/2011, from http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/frank_deford/08/21/wrestling/

Eck, K. (2010). WWE takes a stand on chair shots to the head. Retrieved 30/08/2011, from http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/wrestling/blog/2010/03/wwe_takes_a_stand_on_chair_shots_to_the_head.html

Fox Facts: Famous Wrestling Deaths . (2007). Retreived 21/09/2011, from http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,286774,00.html

Gostin, N. (2011). Brock Lesnar Ran for His Life From Pro Wrestling. Retrieved 27/08/2011, from http://www.popeater.com/2011/05/30/brock-lesnar-death-clutch/

Harlan, C. (2006). Addicted to the center of the ring. Retreived 21/09/2011, from http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06316/737720-139.stm

Reneke, C. (2010). Stand Up To WWE.   Retrieved 23/08/2011, from http://wrestling.insidepulse.com/2010/10/31/stand-up-to-wwe/

Smith, M. D. (2007). WWE Bashes CNN Over Editing John Cena Interview Retrieved 17/09/2011, from http://www.aolnews.com/2007/11/10/wwe-bashes-cnn-over-editing-john-cena-interview-on-steroids/

WWE (2007). Setting The Record Straight [Press Release] Retreived 24/08/2011, from http://www.wwe.com/inside/standupforwwe/settingtherecordstraight/