Olympic swimmer Ian Thorpe admitted to rehab

Australian Olympic swimming hero Ian Thorpe has checked into a rehabilitation clinic to battle depression after he was found disorientated and confused in Sydney. Police were called to a street in Thorpe’s hometown in the early hours of Monday morning (03Feb14) after neighbours raised concerns about his behaviour.
Officers located the five-time Olympic gold medallist a few blocks from his parents’ house, where he has recently been staying, and he was taken to nearby Bankstown Hospital before moving to a rehab facility.
His manager James Erskine blames the ex-sportsman’s behaviour on prescription medication he was taking, including anti-depressants and painkillers following a shoulder operation last week (ends31Jan14).
Erskine says, “He had not been drinking. There was no alcohol involved. He was disorientated and tried to get in to what he thought was a friend’s car… He has mentioned in his autobiography that he suffers from depression and it is an awful thing to have. He has got to get better and he is going to need outside help. He has got to confront the problems and get better.
“He’ll get through this. I’m sure he will get through it. He is going to need help and expert help and everyone pulling from him (sic). His mum said to me that he was always the perfect schoolboy. He has huge expectations on himself. I think the fact that everyone is pulling for him that would make it a lot easier. He has never been a person who wants to disappoint anybody.”
In his autobiography released last year (13), Thorpe revealed he had considered suicide and drank alcohol to cope with his crippling depression.
Thorpe conceded his professional swimming career was over when he failed to qualify for the 2012 London Olympics and his shoulder injury ruined his chances of competing in the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland this year (14).