Jeff Hardy almost pulled from TNA's Final Resolution PPV due to showing up in no condition to perform

The Observer website gives the bare bones of the story and notes Hardy's stupid timing, given that he's supposed to be in court again on Wednesday over his drug trafficking charges stemming from his September 11th 2009 arrest at his home:

Jeff Hardy was nearly pulled from tonight's show and they were going to do a substitute title match stripping him of the title due to concern about his condition when he showed up at tonight's event.

He did do the match and they didn't change the title.

Hardy's next likely to be postponed hearing on his drug charges is scheduled for Wednesday.

Dave Meltzer gave more details on his subscriber only radio show.  Most notably, he discussed how his TNA sources are now scrambling to downplay the incident, telling him "it's not as bad as it sounds" and blaming "exhaustion" on his recent trip to Abu Dhabi.  Meltzer didn't buy the exhaustion excuse because he's been back in America for several days and WWE wrestlers often have much less time to recover from an international trip before performing on home soil again.  I don't either, given Jeff Hardy's track record (even during his last WWE run when he was on his best behaviour he failed two drug tests and was even refused to board a flight once for being intoxicated) and the fact that exhaustion is such a frequently used code word in the entertainment business for someone who is messed up and needs help.

The Torch's James Caldwell didn't mince his words about Hardy's condition, admitting that his sources had told him that Hardy was "hammered" backstage.

Jason Powell has the scoop on what would have happened if Hardy hadn't sobered up in time to go through with the advertised main event:

The plan was for Eric Bischoff to announce that Jeff Hardy was injured during the company's tour of Dubai and then strip him of the title.

The replacement main event would have been a three-way match between Matt Morgan, Mr. Anderson, and Jeff Jarrett for the vacant TNA Title.

I think the only thing surprising about this turn events is that it took so long to happen.  Hiring an unrepentant drug abuser to be your top star while having a drug testing policy that is a complete joke, is a recipe for that performer to show up one day in no condition to perform or no show an event.  TNA's indecisive, eventual inaction is unfortunately par for their crazy golf course.  The last time something like this happened, when then TNA World champion Kurt Angle was arrested for stalking Rhaka "Trenesha Biggers" Khan and they found human growth hormone in his car, the day before the Hard Justice 2009 PPV event that he almost missed due to his legal problems, TNA also took no action against Angle.  Congratulations Dixie Carter for continuing to send the message that your top stars can get away with bad behaviour scot-free.