C.J. Hunter, an Olympic shot putter who was suspended as part of what became the BALCO scandal, died Sunday at age 52, according to the funeral home that is handling his private memorial service.
A cause of death was not given.
Hunter qualified for his first Olympics in 1996 and placed seventh in Atlanta. He then won the 1999 World title.
Hunter recorded four positive drug tests for the illegal steroid nandrolone during the summer of 2000, when he qualified for his second Olympics.
The failed tests were revealed after the 2000 Olympic shot put final, which Hunter missed after withdrawing one week before the Opening Ceremony, citing knee surgery.
At the time, Hunter was married to sprint star Marion Jones, who was later stripped of five 2000 Olympic medals, including three golds, after admitting to doping.
Jones and Hunter were among the athletes implicated in a federal investigation into the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative (BALCO) founded by Victor Conte that supplied illegal performance-enhancing drugs to athletes.
Hunter retired before being given a two-year ban. He and Jones divorced in 2002.
