Mexican wrestlers to get free healthcare thanks to government intervention

According to the Fight Network, earlier this week there was a major ceremony at the Ministry of Health in Mexico City where the head of the local wrestling commission, El Fantama (also the father of current Lucha Underground star King Cuerno), and the Health Secretary of the Federal District, Francisco Osuna Sanchez, signed a cooperation agreement that will allow the country's wrestlers and their families to join a program to access free medical services and prescription medication in the nation's capital. In return, the wrestlers will help the government to promote their exercise and healthy living initiatives in the city.

It's unknown whether this positive move was spurred on by the recent high profile death of Perro Aguayo Jr. from a cardiac arrest caused by cervical spine trauma, but there were some calls after the tragedy for national regulation of the sport due to its inherently risky nature.

However, it's probably more closely related to the work of Miguel Angel Mancera, the mayor of Mexico City, to expand health coverage to all residents of his city, as the vast majority of the population lack private insurance, as suggested by Mexican newspaper Excelsior.

For Fantasma, this was the accomplishment of a long-held dream that he probably expected to never live to see the day of after being involved in the business for over 35 years:

"For me, the most important factor is the physical integrity and well being of our colleagues. This is a great achievement we have been looking for since wrestling's inception. Thank God it has finally happened."

While Dr. Osuna seemed to recognise that the dangers of repetitive head trauma meant that the nation's wrestlers deserved the protection of free healthcare:

"I am big fan of wrestling, I think this is an intense but also a risky sport. The knocks and blows affect them bit by bit, so it is very so important for them being covered by free medical expenses"

So what lessons should we draw from this as fans of American pro wrestling?

Well, obviously we can't rely on the philanthropy of Vince McMahon to look after his former wrestlers who have fallen destitute in their old age, unable to afford the expensive medical bills that comes hand-in-hand with the damage from decades of bumping. Nor can we rely on "nice lady" Dixie Carter to even cover the costs of injuries that occurred in her ring. So the only possible solution to this problem is for the U.S. government to step in to provide universal healthcare coverage for its people, just like Mexico City has done for theirs!