Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) owner Al Snow made his first public statement on Saturday regarding the horrific events that occurred in which officials slowly responded to a referee who was having a seizure during a match for the company.
A scary moment from a recent OVW event that went viral on Friday has wrestling fans demanding it from the company's top brass. During Friday's TV tapings, referee Dallas Edwards got physically involved in a match when a competitor pulled him into the path of his opponent's top rope crossbody.
The move knocked Edwards unconscious as he hit the back of his head hard on the mat. However, this moment did not cause the match to stop immediately and the wrestlers involved continued on. The lack of prompt medical care caused Edwards to suffer a seizure inside the ring.
Unfortunately, despite severe shock during the visit, OVW staff and officers waited approximately two minutes before providing care to Edwards. The incident spread quickly on social media and shone a terrible light on the wrestling promotion.
On Saturday, OVW owner and former WWE star Al Snow gave his first public statement on the scary moment.
Snow wrote, "There is always a risk of injury for anyone who steps into the ring in professional wrestling. On March 12, during a live OVW television program, Dallas was involved in a planned moment of physical contact with a wrestler, resulting in a head injury."
"Traditionally, when an injury occurs in the ring, the referee is the central point of communication, assessment and decision-making. In this unprecedented situation, the person who would normally make the assessment was the one who needed assistance. That unexpected breakdown in communication caused the match to be stopped and the show's conclusion delayed."
"...At OVW, the health and safety of our artists and executives has always been our top priority. We are proud of the standards we have maintained over the years, but we also recognize there is always room to strengthen and improve."
“With this in mind, we are reviewing our existing procedures and updating many of our in-ring and ringside protocols to ensure we continue to meet the highest expectations for performer safety.”
Snow said improved communications systems, more referee training and expanded ringside response measures are part of the changes. He also said that Edwards is recovering from injuries suffered this week.
