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SYDNEY. — Australian swimming great Ian Thorpe is in a Sydney hospital receiving treatment for an infection in his shoulder, amid fears he may never compete again.
Australian media have reported the 31-year-old may lose use of his arm.
However, a spokesman for Thorpe played down those claims.
“Following multiple operations after his fall in January, Ian has contracted two separate infections, both of which are being treated with antibiotics,” the spokesman said.
“He is not in ICU (intensive care unit).”
The five-time Olympic champion, who has had a number of operations on his left shoulder, was in “good health” while any suggestion to the contrary was “purely speculation”, the spokesman added.
In January he was admitted to rehab for depression after being found by police behaving oddly near a car in Sydney. He had fallen after taking anti-depressants and medication for a shoulder injury but was not under the influence of alcohol.
Jim Wilson, chief sports correspondent for Australian broadcaster Channel Seven, said: “It’s been a tough 12 months for Ian. He’s been suffering from depression and gone through his own battle with the demons. Let’s hope he can get himself right — he’s an icon of Australian sport and a worldwide superstar.
“I’ve known him for the best part of 20 years and I feel for him right now.”
He added: “I don’t think he’ll swim again. The tell-tale signs are his left shoulder and left arm give him a lot of trouble. Forget about swimming again, it’s whether he can use his left arm for the rest of his life. Right at this point in time there have been some fairly bad complications. I know they’re feeling nervous and he’s back in a Sydney hospital trying to get this rectified.”
Thorpe made his Olympic Games debut in Sydney in 2000, winning three golds there and another two in Athens 2004, but retired in 2006 because of a lack of motivation. He made a comeback in 2011 but failed to make the Australian team for the London 2012 Olympics. — BBC Sport.
Online Reporter