Just over 20 years ago CJ Hunter was one of the biggest names in athletics. He won the world shot put title in Seville in 1999 and his wife was US sprints star Marion Jones.

On the eve of the 2000 Olympics, though, he tested positive for the steroid nandrolone and did not compete in the Sydney Games, although he was initially allowed to attend as a coach before it emerged that he had failed multiple doping tests.

Two years later, after being embroiled in the BALCO doping scandal, his four-year marriage to Jones ended in divorce amid reports that she was upset that her own career would be tarnished by her husband’s doping ban. However, it later emerged that she was part of the BALCO operation too and in 2007 admitted she had also taken drugs.

Now, on the eve of his 53rd birthday, Hunter has died with the cause of death unknown.

Hunter’s shot put best was 21.87m and in addition to his gold in Seville 1999 he won bronze at the 1997 World Championships in Athens and was seventh at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.

Another American athlete, Emmit King, died prematurely this week when he was killed in a shooting incident with another man.

The 62-year-old won 100m and 4x100m bronze at the 1983 World Championships in Helsinki and he was part of the US sprint relay squads for the 1984 and 1988 Olympics.

In Helsinki he was third in the individual 100m behind fellow Americans Carl Lewis and Calvin Smith.

Police said King and Willie Albert Wells knew each other and were arguing in front of a house Sunday afternoon when both men pulled out guns and opened fire on each other.

King’s best for 100m was 10.04 and he won the NCAA 100m title for the University of Alabama.