WWE statement on reports of talent discomfort over Saudi Arabia event

Various rumors and reports have made the rounds that wrestlers working for WWE are uncomfortable with the upcoming Crown Jewel event in Saudi Arabia on Nov. 2. The company’s relationship with the kingdom was always a bad look, but it’s especially bad when looking at current events.

Those “current events” being allegations the royal family ordered journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s kidnapping and/or murder, and their general poor track record on human rights. Senators have called for WWE to reconsider the relationship while John Oliver is having a field day with the material he’s gotten out of this for his show.

It’s all bad. It’s very bad, and those being asked to perform being uncomfortable about it should mean something.

Well, WWE released the following statement on these reports to Wrestling Inc:

“As always, we maintain an open line of communication with our performers, as we continue to monitor the situation.”

That’s saying something without really saying much of anything, which has been the party line the whole way. If they were willing to run propaganda at Greatest Royal Rumble, and allowed themselves to be used by the same government these allegations have been made against, there’s no reason to think any of this has changed their mind about going forward with this relationship. They are making a lot of money on this deal and it’s becoming clear that money means more than anything else.