In an interview with the New York Post, AEW president Tony Khan spoke about how he dealt with the Sammy Guevara and Jimmy Havoc #speakingout situations.
“I suspended them both. Very different situations. I just needed to address both. We are addressing both. I think Jimmy really needed the counseling. If and when he were to wrestle again, the most important thing for himself and everybody here is that he sought treatment and counseling. When he asked for that help, we’re gonna help him,” he said about Havoc.
As part of the #speakingout movement, Havoc was accused of abuse by an ex-girlfriend.
Khan then spoke about Guevara’s situation. Guevera was suspended for comments he made four years ago on a podcast in which he made light of wanting to rape Sasha Banks.
“With Sammy, I think the right thing to do was to suspend him. The comments he made were horrible. I can’t defend them. I can’t even comment on them because they’re unspeakably bad. He has also done a different kind of counseling and he’s in a different kind of counseling and it’s a different kind of coaching. Everybody here, male and female pretty much up and down the roster we talked to felt like Sammy had no history of this kind of behavior. Really people were shocked Sammy had said that,” said Khan.
In response to being suspended, Guevera wrote on Twitter: “I also want to apologize to @sashabankswwe for my unacceptable comments. She’s an amazing person who didn’t deserve to be the brunt of my offensive remarks. I spoke with her earlier & she helped me learn a gigantic lesson & I thank her for that. Once again, I’m sincerely sorry. I’ve made stupid, inappropriate and extremely offensive comments in my past. In my idiotic mind, I thought I was being funny in using words and terms that represent nothing but horror and pain. I am truly sorry for my hurtful words and actions, and I will never forgive myself.”
Sasha Banks supported Guevara’s story that they had indeed talked the issue out. She wrote: “Earlier I spoke with Sammy, he apologized and we had an open discussion. Words like the comments he made, jokingly or not, have absolutely no place in our society! I don’t condone or tolerate this kind of behavior. What one thinks is just a side comment can have a massive impact on someone else’s life, and can send the wrong message. We have to hold ourselves accountable for our actions and the words we say, and I hope this situation shows him that. I hope from this point on, in order for growth and change within our community to take place, we can continue to have these conversations. No person, man, woman or child, should ever be subjected to a feeling of fear, or any unsafe environment. We all have to do better not just for ourselves, but for generations to come.”
Khan explained he wasn’t aware of the video and if he was, he would have addressed the situation with Sammy before he even started with the company.
“I didn’t want to rush into making a decision on either person, so it felt like until I had all the facts suspending was the right thing to do. Then I could make whatever the right decision is. I knew the right decision wasn’t for those guys to just come to TV and not address this stuff,” he said.
Recently, Cody Rhodes, the executive vice president of All Elite Wrestling, updated fans on Guevera’s status.
“Sammy will return. And he will be a better professional wrestler, and a better man when he does,” he Tweeted.
To read the full interview with Tony Khan, click here.
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