I was at the 1991 nationals, test judging for my "national leve"l npc judging card.
Ronnie took 3rd in the men's hvy wt but was the ONLY one in the top 5 willing to take the drug "piss test".
I personally knew the men who supervised the piss test and can attest to it being legit.
This was done to select the USA team for the old IFBB Mr Universe .
Ronnie passed that urine drug test and was "only" 216 lbs at his ht of 5'11"
He went on to win the amatuet hvy wt worlds that yr and his pro card at a similar wt of 216-217 .
He passed the IFBB piss test again at that Universe.
Within 12 years Ronnie would gain an additional 70 lbs of muscle on his existing fully grown, adult frame.
Obviously as a pro he was juiced to the gills, but considering he was only 217 in the NPC, it's doubtful drugs were a big part of his early years.
This is consistent with the accounts about which I've read from years gone by.
If my memory is correct, back in the day the NPC Nationals was the last pro qualifying show of the year in the United States. So for all the other heavyweights, it's either wait until 1992 or hope Levrone doesn't take the spot at the Universe (which he didn't) and try your luck there.
That is why I asked earlier why would so many bodybuilders in the heavyweight class pass up an opportunity to get a coveted pro card at the Universe, if the drug test were so easy to beat.
A reportedly drug-free Ronnie Coleman at 5'11", 216 lbs, would indeed morph into a ro-beast monster after using anabolics.
Something similar would apply to Kai Greene, whom Chris Aceto stated put on 40 pounds in one year, once he started using steroids, after years of competing in the natural federations.
Greene himself stated (in a "Generation Iron" clip) that it was seductive to see how far he could push himself using anabolics, once he'd already reached the proverbial mountain top in natural bodybuilding. Greene won the WNBF Mr. Universe in 1995, which would lead to the aforementioned article on him in "All-Natural Muscular Development".