The greatest shot putter in the history of Canadian sports recently died at the age of 55. Zbigniew ”Bishop” Dolegiewicz was a three-time Olympian for Canada. He recently died in Utah where he was a successful coach for Southern Utah University. He admitted to using anabolic steroids for a decade during his testimony at the Dubin Inquiry after which his shot put records were removed.

According to his website, some of Bish Dolegiewicz’ athletic achievements include:

As an Olympic Track and Field Athlete, and Worlds Strongest Man Competitor Bishop Dolegiewicz has successfully competed and coached athletes and teams to both national and international levels. As an athlete these were his best lifts. Bench press <605 lbs.> competition squat <800 lbs.> power clean <450 lbs.> dead lift <800 lbs.> overhead push press <530>.

Bish was a member of 3 Olympic Teams 1976, 1980, and 1984. Bish is most recognized as a National Coach with Canada’s Olympic Track and Field team having created the strength and conditioning programs for the Canadian Sprints and Throws Teams and having coached some of the best athletes in the world.

One former teammate suspected that anabolic steroids were connected to his death.

[Bruce] Pirnie said he had been pondering whether steroids had a role in Dolegiewicz’s health issues. “I would be very surprised if there wasn’t a connection,” he said.

Former Canadian discus champ Rob Gray was quick to point out the obvious when asked if steroid were responsible for his death.

Gray said, “I suspect it has got a lot more to do with that he was a 6-foot-6, 330-pound man who was probably overweight.”

The question of whether a history of steroid use contributed to Dolegiewicz is confounded by risk factors associated with his extreme bodyweight.