Yeah, I know it’s not pleasant to talk about. Shit, I covered each development so closely a few months ago, it’s all pretty much a daze to me right now. Trust me, when you cover wrestling news for a site like Inside Pulse, and a story changes as frequently as the Benoit family tragedy one did, you want to be very careful to get things right / be accurate / cite the appropriate sources, etc., etc., etc.

So when things slowed down, around the time of Chris Benoit’s toxicology report coming out (and then the study on brain damage), it was quite a relief.

But here’s what I noticed today when scouring the ‘Net for rasslin’ news: the story’s not over.

In a story from today’s Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Judge allows evidence seized from office of Benoit’s doctor), John Hollis writes the following:

A U.S. District Court judge has denied motions by Dr. Phil Astin III to suppress evidence seized from raids on his office and personal storage units.

Judge Russell G. Vineyard ruled there was probable cause in the six search warrants issued shortly after professional wrestler Chris Benoit killed his family and himself at their Fayetteville home in June.

If you need a refresher, Astin’s the doctor that allegedly prescribed a 10-month supply of steroids to Chris Benoit every 3-4 weeks between May 2006 and May 2007, was indicted on seven federal counts of overprescribing to two people (wrestling press has since reported these two people were Rey Mysterio and Mark Jindrak), was forced to file for bankruptcy and declared “legally indigent,” according to the article. Plus he’s under house arrest, but had appealed to be released so he could work, basically saying that authorities found info about the overprescribing while looking for Benoit-related documents, and… well, you get the picture.

More importantly though… REALLY? He REALLY wanted to keep working?

I’m sorry but let’s look at a couple of things here:

- Assume that WWE and TNA want the wrestlers to be big and/or wrestle through pain
- Now assume that the wrestlers make the personal decision to use steroids and/or eat painkillers like candy
- These wrestlers have two ways of getting these drugs: via prescription or on the black market
- There isn’t much anyone can do about wrestlers who get drugs on the black market, except testing and suspensions of course; and there probably isn’t a test that can’t be beaten in some cases… but let’s not forget that WWE’s Wellness Program, for example, allow wrestlers to use some drugs if they have a valid prescription

Getting rid of mark doctors is, in my opinion, the one thing that independent authorities can do to help keep the “pro wrestling drug problem” in check (short of regulating the business)… and I find it laughable that Astin or his attorney felt there was even the slightest chance he would be allowed to go back to work before this case is settled. I know you’re innocent until proven guilty, but people’s health is at risk here and he’s lucky he’s only under house arrest, as far as I’m concerned.