Since the introduction of the WWE wellness policy in 2006, which states drug tests are mandatory, it transpires 10 superstars have been receiving steroids and other illegal drugs from Signature Pharmacy. SP was busted by the Police in February which bought the situation to light.

I could list the 10 superstars who have been banned but it wouldn't do much good. It's not necessarily which superstars have been suspended but the reasons for drug taking that intrigue me, and how they are viewed so differently to other areas of popular culture.

The Undertaker, for example, is a committed professional who has spent almost twenty years on top of his game, is a loving father and recently spent 6 months recovering from an injury in which he ripped his bicep muscle from the bone. Yet he still belongs to a profession that is regularly criticised for drug use, usually by people who have never watched it, or watched 10 minutes and think they know what it's all about.

Christine Ohuruogu was recently banned for 12 months for missing three drug tests. She makes her return, wins a gold medal and now she's the nations hero. The fact she may be prevented from ever competing in the Olympics again is tantamount to racism, according to her uncle.

If she can miss 3 drug tests (whether she was using drugs or not is irrelevant) and still claim the nations hearts without question then why are people so quick to judge wrestlers. Is it because Christine's a woman? And if she missed the tests then it was not her fault, whereas the wrestlers are predominantly male and have such huge egos they think they're above the Wrestling law?

No, luckily that misplaced notion of misandry has yet to surface in the reports. I believe it's simply down to the look of the sport. The fact that 20 or 30 men regularly weave each others faces into the canvas brings with it an innate questioning of drug use. While some superstars do use drugs you only have to look at the injury list of some of them to see why these substances are needed to aid recovery and keep a wrestler at the top level

Eddie Geurrero was addicted to painkillers and alcohol for years. He got himself clean at the start of the millenium and died recently from an enlarged heart, bought on by years of abuse. It is this sort of tragedy that is often overlooked, once people realise he had an addict past they are so quick to judge.

One thing that I find horribly hypocritical are the people that criticise wrestlers for taking drugs, but then seem to praise wasters like Pete Doherty who have no decent reason for taking drugs.

I've included a link to a highlight reel of a match between The Undertaker and a wrestler called Mankind from King of the Ring 1998. Regarded as one of the best wrestling matches ever it includes Mankind being thrown 15-feet off the top of the cell. Watching clips like this it becomes understandable, perhaps even justifiable, when we learn of the addictions that these wrestlers face.

There was one article I read that seemed to show the committment these men have. The Superbowl, American Football's equivalent of the World Cup, is played once a year. The buildup before is huge, the game is played and then the players have a rest before the next big game.

Wrestlemania, the WWE's equivalent of the World Cup, is wrestled on a Sunday night (traditionally. On the following night the wrestlers work again to tape Monday Night Raw. No sport in the world has two matches involving the same two teams playing twice in two days. Admittedly football games are longer than the average wrestlingmatch but think of the effort that goes into a wrestling and it becomes clear that these guys work incredibly hard.

I'm in no way justifying the use of performance-enhancing drugs, and the WWE's step to suspend 10 of its top superstar, a move which could prove incredibly costly, is one in the right direction. My main problem is with the people who constantly refer to wrestling as a dirty sport and take actions such as Chris Benoit's (who I wrote about a couple of months ago) as standard of all wrestlers.

Take a look at some of the injurys (the aforementioned Undertaker injury for example) and ask yourself if you can really criticise someone for getting addicted to painkillers when you have something as serious as that and still have to wrestle, despite the fact it may never heal properly.

Mankind wrestled the second half of the King of the Ring match with a dislocated shoulder, broken jaw and bruised kidney. Tell me one other sport where that person would have been allowed to carry on without first being taken to a medical room.

Kurt Angle, a former WWE wrestler who's name has been associated with Signature Pharmacy, recently stated - "I did not improperly receive prescriptions. It is well documented that in my career I have broken vertebrae in my neck on five occasions and each time the course of treatment was under the care and supervision of my doctors. Any attempt to link me to the athletes in the current news accounts who may have improperly sought performance-enhancing drugs is without foundation." Showing that not all steroid use is improper

There are millions of peole who have drug problems in the world today. A good majority of them are sympathised with and praised for the courage it takes to get off them. Wrestlers are, seemingly, unfairly targeted for their addictions. While some should, and do, face consequences for their actions it is unacceptable and downright ignorant to tar all the performers with the same brush. Whether or not you think wrestling is fake, to deny the injuries are real is simple stupidity.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Tc1522Zf90