According to sources, his suspension stemmed from a positive drug test for elevated levels of testosterone. He reportedly told people that he took a tainted supplement containing the testosterone, causing him to fail, and acknowledged that he should have been more careful. WWE chief Vince McMahon was said to have been livid with Orton over the matter, particularly since he was so “outspokenly indifferent” to it.
Orton’s suspension caused a ripple effect on SmackDown as top stars John Cena, Triple H, CM Punk and Daniel Bryan were shifted to several blue brand shows this summer to alleviate problems. Punk and Bryan will resumetheir feud at RAW live events beginning thisweekend while Cena will cease making special appearances following SmackDown broadcasts in three weeks. Triple H will continue to make special appearances on SmackDown until further notice.