It was confirmed by WWE that along with sensitivity training, Lars Sullivan was handed a $100,000 fine for the horrific racist, sexist and homophobic comments he made online between 2007-2013. Sullivan, who debuted on the main roster the night after WrestleMania 35, was handed the joint-second largest fine in the company’s history.
Some fans questioned how WWE were able to fine Sullivan despite the fact that the comments were made at least a year before he signed a developmental deal with the company. Well, per Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer, a clause in WWE contracts allows them to issue fines to their wrestlers, regardless of when the punishable action took place.
The clause reads:
“Wrestler shall act at all times with due regard to public morals and conventions during the term of this agreement. If wrestler shall have committed or shall commit any act or do anything that is or shall be an offense or violation involving moral turpitude under federal, state or local laws, or which brings wrestler into public disrepute, contempt, scandal or ridicule, or which insults or offends the community or any employee, agent or affiliate of promoter or which injures wrestlers’ reputation in promoter’s sole judgment, or diminishes the value of wrestler’s professional wrestling services to the public or promoter, then at the time of any such act, or any time after promoter learns of any such act, promoter shall have the right to fine wrestler in an amount to be determined by promoter; and promoter shall have the right to immediately suspend wrestler and/or terminate this agreement pursuant to Section 12.”
This comes after it was reported yesterday that Lars Sullivan’s anxiety attacks earlier in the year that prevented him from having a marquee match at WrestleMania 35 against John Cena were caused by a fear of these comments resurfacing rather than “stage fright”.
Thanks to Fightful for the transcription.
