How we judge
Records beat math
If someone admitted use, failed a test, or shows up in a court record, we say so and cite it. That's the only path to a Confirmed verdict.
When there's no record, we do the math
FFMI (fat-free mass index) is fat-free mass in kilograms divided by height in meters squared, then normalized to 1.80 m. A 1995 study of steroid users and non-users (Kouri, Pope, Katz, Oliva: Fat-free mass index in users and nonusers of anabolic-androgenic steroids) found the non-users topped out around 25. That's the ceiling we cite. It is a screen, not a verdict: genetics, measurement error, and bad body-fat estimates all move the number.
We also weigh:
- How fast the physique changed, and at what age.
- Training age — when they started lifting heavy.
- How the body-fat estimate holds up across photos and roles.
- What they've said on the record, and how they said it.
The verdicts
| Confirmed | Admission, failed test, or official record. Cited on the page. |
| Likely enhanced | The numbers or timeline sit well past what the evidence says nature allows. |
| Uncertain | Plausible either way. We show the math and let you decide. |
| Likely natty | Numbers, timeline, and history all fit a natural athlete. |
Disclaimer
Every verdict except “Confirmed” is opinion and analysis of public information, not a statement of fact. Stats marked “estimated” are our best read of reported figures and photos. Quotes are verbatim and linked to their source. Photos are credited and licensed. If we got something wrong, tell us and we'll fix it.