According to Wrestling Inc, an anonymous source has come forward claiming WWE’s talent relations department is instructing wrestlers who have contracted the COVID-19 virus that they are forbidden to discuss their personal situation publicly.
“Now that the WWE has more talent and staffers starting to test positive, we’ve been informed by talent relations not to discuss our illness with anyone besides those we may live with that may need to know. We are FORBIDDEN to tell anyone else nor can we come out publicly to make any statements. It was stressed that WWE will take care of any medical treatments, should we need them. In the same breath it was made clear the company would handle the PR and only those that needed to know about our condition would know as HIPPA laws would prevent them from making our names public,” says the source in an email.
The anonymous source praised the WWE for their assistance in covering medical costs but also points out that the “WWE put us in this position in the first place”.
The email also criticized the WWE’s testing.
“Most people were not tested until last week, as we were told they didn’t believe the validity of some of the testing being done. They figured they would have their own so called testing which included temperature checks and a medical evaluation form. But no testing for COVID19. Look at where it got them now!” wrote the source maintaining the audience members were asked to invite friends, family and fans to the tapings.
The source explained that face masks were not allowed to be worn at the tapings and that Kevin Dunn, the WWE’s executive vice president of television production, announced that at least twice during the tapings.
The source concluded their email criticizing the WWE further.
“It’s very unfortunate that the WWE puts business first and the health and safety of everyone second,” they stated.
This week WWE’s employees Adam Pearce, Kayla Braxton, Renee Young, Jamie Noble and an extra named ‘The Ultimate Pusher’ Tyreke revealed on social media that they have contracted the virus. Since making their statements Kayla Braxton has shut down her Twitter account and Jamie Noble has made his Instagram private.
