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How did Shawn Rhoden die? Former Mr Olympia, 46, got banned post sexual allegations

Shawn Rhoden won the Olympia in 2018 defeating the legendary Phil Heath who had won the championship consistently for the previous seven years

One of the biggest bodybuilding icons and former Mr Olympia champion Shawn Rhoden has died. The date of his death is yet to be confirmed. He was 46. The news was first shared by the publication Generation Iron who revealed that the bodybuilding star suffered a fatal heart attack. No immediate family members were available to shed light on the unfortunate news. Shawn was known for winning the Mr Olympia title at the age of 43, the oldest ever to do so.

Shawn Rhoden won the Olympia in 2018 defeating the legendary Phil Heath who had won the championship consistently for the previous seven years. Social media users poured in their tributes as soon as they heard the sad news. Speaking of celebrity deaths, we recently lost ‘Below Deck’ star Captain Mark Howard. The 'Deliverance' star Ned Beatty too left us for the heavenly abode. Other celebrities that we lost in the last few months include Chick Vennera, DMX, Jay Black, legendary comedian Mort Sahl, Jeanette Maus and many more.
 
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How did former Mr Olympia Shawn Rhoden die?

Shawn Rhoden reportedly suffered a fatal heart attack that led to his death. Shawn Rhoden was one of the biggest bodybuilding stars who had his own share of troubles in his personal life. He discovered bodybuilding in 1992 and later suffered several injuries after his father passed away. He turned to alcoholism only to come back stronger. Shawn turned pro in the year 2010 and secured 11th position with his debut at Mr Olympia.

Shawn Rhoden was earlier married to Michelle Sugar but they parted their ways due to personal issues and allegations of infidelity. He courted controversies after he was accused of sexually assaulting a female protege in Utah in October 2018. In 2019, he was charged in the state of Utah with rape, object rape, and sexual abuse. He was later banned from the 2019 Mr Olympia contest, as well as future competitions. Shawn Rhoden, who enjoyed close to 2 million followers on Instagram had recently shared a heartwarming picture with his daughter with a caption that read, “Life Is Not Measured By the Number of Breaths We Take, But By the Moments That Take Our Breath Away.”

‘Sad that Shawn never had a chance to defend his title’

Social media users were left devasted with the news of Shawn Rhoden passing away. “The death of Shawn Rhoden hurts me so much but one thing is I’m glad he had a great bond with his daughter in his final moments. These moments she’ll cherish forever.  RIP champ!”, said one user as another posted, “RIP Shawn Rhoden. He was good to me and I thought his physique was exactly what the open bodybuilding division should be about. Didn’t agree with the legal trouble but he didn’t have the opportunity to prove innocence in a court of law. I am saddened by his death either way.”

The next one shared, “Damn. RIP to Shawn Rhoden. That year he won Mr Olympia was a special one, truly impressive.” And, one tweeted, “Very sad day indeed. Prayers out to his family. Gone too soon.” One user concluded, “R.I.P. Shawn Rhoden. My condolences to his friends and family. It's sad that Shawn never had a chance to defend his title. John Meadows, George Peterson and Shawn Rhoden... This year is really sad for the bodybuilding community.”