WWE institutes concussion awareness program

[SassovsHart]

Source: Pwinsider

Chris Nowinski's Sports Legacy Institute issued the following announcement today:

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.

[Marvelously Mediocre]

that's great news that WWE is checking their performers mental state

[Push R Truth]

Good. This is a very good thing, and I hope it's taken seriously.

[Joekishi]

This is great, i also heard of psychological test, and cardiograms.

Wellness has potential to be really great.

Now if only guys in the indies could see that wrestling with 25 concussions is idiotic

[eJm]

That's great to hear.

Especially considering the moves that are hit in the 'E these days, such things are needed, I feel.

Good job, Vince.

[Dynamite Kid]

Absolutely a great thing, especially if the Benoit brain analsysis stuff is to be believed.

[The Peoples Elbow]

No more flying headbutts.

[Turd Ferguson]

Test Vince.

[jfpierce]

This is a welcome 180 from their previous position on this.

[Chuckie Finster]

Great news.

[Bub (BLM)]

It only took eight months after finding out about Benoit's brain damage, WOW! *sarcasm*

[Cactus Jack]

Apr 11, 2008 13:27:46 GMT -5 Chuckie Finster said:

Great news.

[Seth Drakin of Monster Crap]

It is about damn time.......

[Grotto]

Apr 11, 2008 13:31:38 GMT -5 Bub (BLM) said:

It only took eight months after finding out about Benoit's brain damage, WOW! *sarcasm*

I don't want to sound like a tart...but have you ever tried to institute an all-encompassing program for a billion dollar company? This is not something that would happen overnight.

It is easy to armchair quarterback any given situation. You can find it anywhere on any given thread on this, and any other, message board website. But until you are in the situation in question yourself, you have no idea why things take as much time as they do.

Don't get me wrong...I am one of the most sarcastic sons a bitches you'll ever meet. But...come on...what you said is not fair. WWE did not know Benoit was having the physical problems he was having. There is no way they could have. It is easy to point the finger after the fact. It takes a lot more to recognize the problem afterward and work to keep it from happening again. Let's give them a little credit...

[TRUTH TELLER]

Apr 11, 2008 12:09:43 GMT -5 Joekishi said:

This is great, i also heard of psychological test

If this is true, there just may be about 20 openings in WWE Creative coming very soon.

[Bo Rida]

Maybe concussions would be treated more seriously if WWE stopped treating it like a minor injury.

To often it's a short term thing for storyline purposes and the wrestler is back 2 weeks later, takes several blows to the head on their return and still win at the PPV.

[Bub (BLM)]

Apr 11, 2008 14:33:10 GMT -5 Grotto said:

Apr 11, 2008 13:31:38 GMT -5 Bub (BLM) said:

It only took eight months after finding out about Benoit's brain damage, WOW! *sarcasm*

I don't want to sound like a tart...but have you ever tried to institute an all-encompassing program for a billion dollar company? This is not something that would happen overnight.

It is easy to armchair quarterback any given situation. You can find it anywhere on any given thread on this, and any other, message board website. But until you are in the situation in question yourself, you have no idea why things take as much time as they do.

Don't get me wrong...I am one of the most sarcastic sons a bitches you'll ever meet. But...come on...what you said is not fair. WWE did not know Benoit was having the physical problems he was having. There is no way they could have. It is easy to point the finger after the fact. It takes a lot more to recognize the problem afterward and work to keep it from happening again. Let's give them a little credit...

I know they had now way of knowing the mental problems he had before his death, however the results of that brain study have been out for a good eight months. I know I likely jump on WWE's case unfairly, but I guess I was just thinking it took them quite a while considering it didn't take them half as long to implement the Wellness Program after Eddie Guerrero's test results came back.

I've no doubt that it's incredibly challenging to run such a huge corporation, but the fact that they didn't try to get the ball rolling on this months ago just seems a bit odd. Not screwed up or bullshit, just odd.

[Annette]

I'll jump on the "great idea that's about 10 months too late" bandwagon.