10 Most Controversial Randy Orton WWE Behind The Scenes Stories
4. One Rule For One, Another For Orton
WWE's Wellness Policy, though a legitimate screening of the company's talent, is just as much a PR exercise. For all intents, superstars are rigorously tested by the organisation - but for some, the date curiously never comes up in their diaries (so says Scott Steiner, anyway).
Randy Orton is one of those lucky boys for whom the Wellness Policy rules seem to bend. When he was caught smoking pot in 2006, WWE initially came down hard on their unseasoned Legend Killer, suspending him - despite it not being a Wellness Violation. Months later, Orton was again suspended as one of the many names listed in the Signature Pharmacy scandal.
Seemingly Teflon, a third suspension - arriving in 2012 for a second violation - didn't see Orton's position in the company near the edge, but rather resulted in the rule being modified to guarantee he couldn't be fired except in exceptional circumstances. The policy was amended such that strikes would expire after eighteen months had elapsed - meaning Orton, likely to re-offend, was untouchable for the forseeable.