I pointed out the lat because that was the most obvious, not because one body part decides PED use. But then again, I acknowledge that I may just have a better eye for these sorts of things because of my background. Even if you say that his bodyparts are the same size in the two pictures, then he obviously has more muscle in the one that I posted because, like I already pointed out, he is drier in that one.
Listen to Stevie Richards on it. He is much more certain that AJ used supraphysiological doses (and then some) than I am. This is the sort of thing in which if you have been around it enough and seen it enough....you know.
I've been around this plenty and deal with it regularly, even administering it legally. Yes, he's obviously dryer and leaner in the first photo; we've both acknowledged that. However, having less water retention or lower body fat is not a smoking gun for steroid use. What I'm saying is that his musculature is not dramatically larger in the picture you posted. He's dryer, which, as you know, makes striations more pronounced and makes the muscles seem larger.
Additionally, there is a six-year gap between the two pictures. That is more than ample time to add any muscle mass that would be apparent. One other thing of note in distinguishing between the two pictures is to note his posture in both. In the 2024 picture he is bent forward at the waist, whereas he almost leaned back in the 2018 picture. Curvature of the spine here is not insignificant if we are comparing the lats. But, we are getting in the weeds here for sure.
I can respect Stevie Richards' opinion, but let's not pretend that because he cycled 20 years ago, he's an expert on current medical interventions or what levels would be therapeutically necessary to achieve his current physique. And, I really wish that he were talking about this on any other platform. :hihi:
I definitely respect your history with this, and I admit it's definitely possible. I will concede there are some pictures of him around 2022 that would support the recomp suggestion. My only point this entire time is that it's definitely achievable with therapeutic levels of TRT/HRT and strict diet. We can agree to disagree, but I'm not entirely sure we do.