17 Ways WWE Has Changed Since It Was The WWF
3. The Wellness Policy
Launched in 2006 after Eddie Guerrero's tragic passing, the Wellness Policy seemed better-late-than-never until Chris Benoit's horrendous final actions in 2007 robbed it of any credibility.
Testing for performance-enhancing and recreational drugs suddenly became as important as it should have been all along, with wrestlers facing suspensions that knackered creative but appeared (even if only for Public Relations purposes) to be doing right by the performers. The necessary steps continued to be made - WWE made good on expensive promises of rehabilitation to any past or present talent, and expanded the policy further to include testing general health, wellbeing and physical fitness of talents before, during and after significant injuries.
It remains imperfect of course, and several stars have been hidden away or helped through hoops as and when the company have seen fit, but even a frustrated and sidelined Daniel Bryan thanked WWE for protecting him during testing times, whilst blood and injury stoppages during matches have become normalised and accepted for the good of the performers themselves.
Wrestlers in WWE are still "Superstars", but thanks to the ever-evolving policy and the changes that spawned it, they've never been less forced to be superhuman.