Kurt Angle discusses WWE's evolving policy on concussions and injuries, which could bar him from coming back

Kurt Angle's recent interview with The World According to Wrestling (which you can listen to on Soundcloud here, or download from iTunes here) covered a bunch of topics. We recently discussed his thoughts on returning to WWE in the future. The Olympian also gave an interesting take on how injuries are handled in the company, both now and when he was there from 1998 - 2006.

No stranger to phsyical setbacks, Angle's had operations on his neck and knees in his career - and recently was at the center of some controversy when he said he worked TNA shows in the United Kingdom after being concussed.

That's the approach Kurt told WATW he was familiar with during his time working for Vince McMahon:

It was different back then... When I got my neck surgery, I don't even remember getting cleared to wrestle, I just came back.

As the company is currently working through the legal process of getting suits which were brought by ex-wrestlers related to working while injuried dismissed, that may not be a quote WWE wants to read from Angle. At least he's clear in saying that is not how the company approaches the issue today, and uses the Daniel Bryan situation as an example:

Now, they have to abide by what the doctors tell them.

So the difference between now and then is huge and I have to commend the WWE because I think they are doing the right thing now. I feel bad for Daniel Bryan, but I think in the best thing is to abide by what the doctors say and that a straight up policy in the WWE should be "we're going to do what we are told by the professionals and if you're not cleared to wrestle, you can't wrestle." It wasn't always like that but it is now and I think that that's the right way to go.

While that is certainly the company line nowadays, it's ironic because it's also one of the most oft stated reasons for why Angle hasn't been brought back into the fold. Concerns about his history of drug abuse (also discussed in the WATW interview) are probably paramount, but industry watchers have long said Angle would not pass a WWE physical.

If that's still the case, the very "if you're not cleared to wrestle, you can't wrestle" stance he praises here could foil his plans.

Again, strongly encourage folks to subscribe to World According to Wrestling and check out the interview for more on all things Angle and WWE.

Do you think he can get cleared to do anything other than accept a Hall of Fame induction, Cagesiders?