Dolegiewicz had begun to covertly use and sell anabolic steroids over this period. In mid-1981 he sold 500 tablets of Dianabol to track coach Charlie Francis, marking the beginning of sprinter Ben Johnson's drug use. The 1982 season saw him win his last national title in the shot put, but he also managed to win his first international medal in the discus that year, taking the bronze at the 1982 Commonwealth Games behind Bradley Cooper of the Bahamas and Rob Gray (Canada's number one in the event). The inaugural World Championships in Athletics was held in 1983 and Dolegiewicz was in attendance for Canada. However, neither he nor his compatriot Bruno Pauletto progressed past the qualification stage. Dolegiewicz also saw the opportunity to sell Dianabol at the international competition, and he brought along several hundred tablets of the drug on the trip to Helsinki. He also began supplying Mike Spiritosa, another Canadian thrower, with drugs over the period.