Jinder Mahal returned to WWE last year with a different look then when many fans last saw him as part of the enhancement talent act 3MB.
Even before his move to SmackDown as part of the post-WrestleMania 33 “Superstar Shake-Up” began a mega-push which saw him win the WWE title at Backlash earlier this month, Mahal’s ripped physique made him the target of steroids jokes and rumors from fans and industry-types alike.
Since winning the title, he’s been tackling those accusations head on, in bigger and more high-profile publications. Jinder told the The Times of India he’s been tested multiple times without a Wellness Policy suspension. And the subject came up again in a profile piece ESPN posted today (May 30), and Mahal rephrased that same answer a slightly different way:
I've been tested plenty, and never failed one.
No matter how many times he gives this answer, or explains his new approach to diet and exercise, it seems these questions aren’t going away. Now, I’m not an expert on performance-enhancing drugs, noticeable side-effects of their use, the validity of tests to detect their presence in athletes or what the WWE Wellness Policy does or doesn’t cover, so maybe Mahal is full of crap. Or HGH. I don’t know.
But it’s curious why people are so interested in whether Jinder is gaming the system. Yes, his physical transformation is remarkable, but do folks think he is the only person in WWE getting away with something? Heck, WWE has come flat out and said they don’t test “part-timers”... why isn’t what Universal champion Brock Lesnar does or doesn’t put in his body a constant topic of discussion?
You can decide to answer those questions or not. Personally, I think they’re as worth thinking about as whether or not Jinder Mahal is clean.
For his part, the WWE champ is sticking to his answer.