WWE Accused of Selectively Enforcing Wellness Policy After Andrade’s Release

Andrade’s second run in WWE came to an end as he was released due to backstage issues. Reports claimed that he had violated WWE’s Wellness Policy ‘numerous’ times and now WWE has been accused of selectively enforcing the policy after Andrade’s exit.

PWInsider reported that Andrade was cut due to numerous WWE Wellness violations over the last year. Addressing the report, Luchablog pointed out that the word “numerous” raises serious questions about how the policy is being enforced. If someone truly violated it multiple times, there should have been suspensions, but Andrade’s WWE match record shows no 30- or 90-day gaps that would indicate any punishment.

“Numerous means WWE is burying WWE nearly as much as they’re burying AEW. How effective is a policy that allows someone to accumulate numerous violations without being suspended? Cruising through Cagematch quickly, there’s no gap where Andrade goes between matches for 90 or even 30 days during that WWE run, like one would expect if someone’s been violating the policy.”

According to Luchablog, this makes WWE’s Wellness Policy look weak and selectively enforced. Instead of serving its original moral and ethical purpose, to protect talent and ensure fairness, it now seems to be used only when convenient, such as when the company wants to release someone.

“Numerous” violations of an effective wellness policy should trigger an automatic firing. it comes across as if WWE has a wellness policy that they no longer enforce unless it’s needed as a tool to remove someone. That’s not ideal. Putting aside the moral and ethical reasons why that policy existed in the first place, it means WWE is collecting information on failed wellness (drug) tests and then seemingly not acting on them.”

They also said it’s risky for WWE to keep records of failed drug tests without doing anything about them. Those files could leak or be used against the company later. Luchablog ended by saying it’s a bad idea to keep a list of “failed tests” if the company doesn’t plan to act on them.

“You really don’t want to have that information on hand unless you’re going to do something with it, because it will only exist to be leaked at unfavorable times or used in a legal situation. It was helpful for WWE to be able to leak it here, but it may not be helpful the next time it gets out. You should not take notes on a criminal conspiracy, and you should also not have a folder of “here’s all the times we caught someone on drugs” if you’re not taking action on it until “numerous” failures.”

The accusations have started a new discussion about whether WWE’s Wellness Policy is fair and honest. The program used to be praised for helping wrestlers with substance problems, but if WWE only uses it when it helps the company, fans wonder whether the policy is meant to protect the wrestlers or just to serve WWE’s own interests.

What do you think — is WWE fairly enforcing its Wellness Policy, or is it being used as a selective tool to control talent? Share your thoughts and feedback below.