In the wake of allegations of sexual harassment made against one of All Elite Wrestling’s (AEW) top stars, Chris Jericho, that surfaced on social media, Tony Khan, the wrestling promotion’s owner and president, defended the company’s policy on such matters.
Tony Khan addressed the matter at a post-show press conference following the AEW Worlds End pay-per-view, though he stopped short of directly addressing the allegations against Chris Jericho.
Tony Khan defends AEW’s sexual harassment policy amid social media allegations against Chris Jericho https://t.co/d89ZfQ2CkN pic.twitter.com/BJFGXAaWtN
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) December 31, 2023
Instead, he chose to stress the robustness of AEW’s policy when dealing with such issues. Tony Khan conveyed the seriousness with which AEW treats allegations of this nature.
He stated, “It’s something we’re very serious about. We’ve had a policy in place and certainly I think anytime there’s anything like that, we would make sure we do everything we can to prevent that.”
According to Khan, AEW has the best safety record among pro wrestling companies worldwide.
He added, “I believe we have the most safe environment. I believe we have the best safety record of any pro wrestling company and I would hold the record of AEW on safety against any pro wrestling company in the world.”
Khan also reiterated the open line of communication within the company. He ensured that any wrestler being a part of AEW has an open channel to discuss their issues, especially when it comes to matters of safety.
“If there was anything that came to light to me, I would take it to the disciplinary committee and that’s how we’ve been doing it. I think the disciplinary committee has been doing a great job and everybody knows they have an open line to me or anybody on that committee.”
When pressed about Chris Jericho’s involvement in any such misconduct investigation, Khan refused to confirm or deny.
He stated, “I can’t speak to internet and unsourced rumors,” he said, making a reference back to his earlier statements regarding AEW’s strict harassment policy.
The controversy surrounding Jericho gained traction when Nick Hausman, a revered wrestling reporter, drew parallels between Chris Jericho’s alleged backstage behavior and the infamous sex offender Harvey Weinstein during an episode of his Rumor & Innuendo podcast.
“There are issues with Chris behind the scenes where I know of a lot of people who have been hurt by Chris and his actions,” Hausman said. “It’s very uncomfortable to me to see him lauded as often as he is with only the focus on that because I do think there are a lot of questionable stories about Chris that will find there way out over time and when people are ready to tell those stories that will cast him in a very different light. I mean look, Harvey Weinstein won a lot of Oscars. Harvey Weinstein produced a lot of very popular films. Harvey Weinstein is now in jail. I’m not saying that’s going to happen to Chris, but the narrative could very quickly turn if you’re hiding a lot of skeletons in your closet.”
Nick Hausman says that there are a lot of stories about Chris Jericho that will find their way out over time when people are ready to tell those stories and then makes a Harvey Weinstein comparison. pic.twitter.com/bQiB9qDu2r
— BR@INBUST3R (@emeraldfllows) December 30, 2023
Hausman live-tweeted the press conference and encouraged reporters to further press Khan on Jericho’s matter. Earlier, he responded to a Christmas Day post from Jericho by questioning him about the Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) he allegedly made people sign.
Someone needs to follow up on the Jericho question and get a Yes or No from Tony.
— Nick Hausman (@Nick_Hausman) December 31, 2023
It's 2:15 am EST. Ask Tony about Jericho again.
— Nick Hausman (@Nick_Hausman) December 31, 2023
While Khan answered questions about the subject at hand, he didn’t directly address the allegations against Jericho, leading to increased speculation and rumors.
Looking forward, it seems unlikely that this story will fade away anytime soon. Hausman’s initial comments and the ensuing media reaction have put a spotlight on Khan to address the issue in a more direct and transparent manner.
