Swimmer Ian ‘Thorpedo’ Thorpe fighting serious infection
Australian swimmer Ian Thorpe is fighting a “serious” infection in a hospital in Sydney and is unlikely to race competitively again.
The five-times Olympic champion dubbed “Thorpedo” had contracted “two bugs” after a series of shoulder surgeries, said his manager.
James Erskine told Australian Associated Press: “It’s serious but it’s not life-threatening. He’s quite sick but that’s the situation… From a competitive point of view, he will not be swimming competitively again, I don’t think.”
Mr Erskine said Thorpe had undertaken “two or three” operations on his left shoulder over the past two months, and suggested that the injury, rather than any infection, would force Thorpe from the pool.
“The shoulder operation was a major operation, he’s got as many plates as Barry Sheene,” said Mr Erskine, referring to the late British motorcycling champion.
However he dismissed previous reports that Mr Thorpe may lose the use of his arm because of infections. The swimmer has reportedly received a number of visitors at hospital and was said to be in “good spirits”.
Thorpe is Australia’s most decorated swimmer with 11 world championship golds, but was admitted to hospital earlier this year for the treatment of depression. Police were called when a resident saw him behaving oddly near a vehicle and his manager later said he had been taking a mixture of anti-depressants and medication for his shoulder.
Thorpe won three golds in his Olympic debut at the 2000 Sydney Games and clinched another two at Athens four years later, but surprised by announcing his retirement in 2006 at the age of 24, blaming a lack of motivation.
He then announced he would return to the pool in 2011 in a bid to qualify for the London Games but failed to make the team in national trials the following year in either of his targeted 100 and 200 metres freestyle events.
Describing the comeback as a fairytale “turned into a nightmare”, Thorpe said he would continue swimming.