WWE to institute Concussion Management Program
 

WWE STEPS UP TO THE PLATE

Chris Nowinski has heard from anonymous professional wrestlers in World Wrestling Entertainment that WWE management has instituted a concussion management program. At a mandatory meeting for all performers in early March WWE performers took a computerized neuropsychological testing protocol, which evaluates such things as memory, cognitive skills, and reaction time. They will be re-tested aggressively every 6 months to look for long term issues, as well as re-tested after suspected concussions to help determine when it is safe to return to in-ring action. Nowinski heard conflicting reports of whether or not any concussion education was provided along with the baseline testing. One current wrestler told Chris that if it wasn't for recent concussion awareness efforts by organizations like the SLI, he still wouldn't know what a concussion is or why he took the test.

Congratulations to WWE for taking a proactive step in protecting the health of their athletes. The Sports Legacy Institute is proud that the analysis they performed on the late WWE performer Chris Benoit's brain, which found extensive brain damage caused by concussions and other head trauma, directly led to this action. SLI believes efforts like these will help prevent events similar to the Benoit family tragedy of 2007 from happening in the future.

Upon hearing the news, Chris Benoit's father Michael Benoit said, "I think it's great. I think the industry has to embrace the medical science. If they don't take actions like this, they just care about the talent." SLI encourages other sports leagues to take similar measures to protect athletes, especially youth athletes, and is available at sportslegacy.org to help make it a reality.


Source: http://www.wrestleview.com/news2008/1207949031.shtml

Awesome news. Glad to see they're taking the correct steps, hopefully they stand by it.

What has Chris Nowinski got to do with it? His career get stopped due to concusion or something?

Yes.

A. It's about fucking time.
B. Maybe we'll prevent more wrestlers ending up like Iron Shiek, Randy Savage, and Kurt Angle. aka Batshit crazy.

I thought this was gonna be a joke, since Sascha posted it. However, concussions are a serious issue in pro wrestling, so...:y:

This statement would've made more sense. :roll:

If Fallen Angel posted it, it wouldn't be so much a joke as a desperate ploy to fit in.

Too-shay. I still don't see how me posting it would be a joke....unless you're implying I'm a funny poster... or that WWE is a joke....in which case I am fine with that.

I expected it to be a joke. How often do you post serious shit, especially in wresting?

Fair enough.....so when are you coming over anyway?? :naughty:

I think I'm free tomorrow. You got condoms?

...So I can smuggle back Canadian drugs?

This kind of thing should be done long ago. I would think that they would at least take care of wrestler's health since they are the product. Even if they didn't want to look at them as human beings they could look at them as a business investment that they have countless dollars resting on. It sure can't be safe to take a steel chair shot or beating on each other like they do, no matter how "fake" its supposed to be.

Not to mention, the PR.

If even one "Benoit" incident can be prevented, it should be worth spending the money on the care of wrestlers. For PR alone, it should be worth it to not have to go out and defend the company's practices.

Additionally, since then he's supposedly done a lot of work researching concussions and their effects. Which is damn cool, since his career got screwed, he's going to work to help out teh guys who are still going. Which is really cool. :y:

Not to mention another Bret Hart.