07-27-2019, 01:02 AM
SYDNEY, Australia -- The manager of Olympic swimming great Ian Thorpe says the five-time gold medallist is in rehab after being found disoriented on a Sydney street early Monday morning by police responding to a call from residents. James Erskine told the Australian Associated Press that Thorpe was affected by a combination of antidepressants and the painkillers he was taking for a shoulder injury. Police spoke to Thorpe after residents near his parents home in Panania in Sydneys southwest reported a man allegedly breaking into a van. He was taken to Sydneys Bankstown Hospital for assessment and was later transferred to a rehab facility. "He is in rehab for depression," AAP quoted Erskine as saying. Erskine said Thorpe had thought he was sitting in his friends car. "The owner of the car basically called the police and the police came," he said. "They realized it was Ian Thorpe. They realized he was disoriented." Erskine said Thorpe, 31, had been taking antidepressants and medication for his shoulder but had not been drinking alcohol. "He hadnt had a drink," he said. "He had zero alcohol in him." Police said no official complaint has been made and no further police action is anticipated. Thorpe, who is currently living in Switzerland, has been staying with his parents over Christmas. Erskines admission that Thorpe is in rehab comes only days after Thorpes management company denied reports he checked into a rehab facility while battling depression and alcohol abuse. News Corporation, quoting friends of Thorpe, said he had been injured in a fall at his parents home and was taken to hospital. Reports said Thorpe checked into a rehab facility, but later checked out and returned to his parents home. Thorpes management company, SEL, later issued a statement denying the reports. "Ian is not in rehab," a SEL representative said Friday. "Ian was in hospital for an operation on his shoulder and is pleased to let his friends and fans know that he is now out of hospital and on the mend." In his autobiography, published last year, Thorpe said "not even my family is aware that Ive spent a lot of my life battling what I can only describe as crippling depression." Thorpe, known to fans as Thorpedo, was a freestyle specialist and one of the greatest swimmers of his generation. He won three gold and two silver medals at the 2000 Sydney Olympics -- the most medals won by any individual competitor at those games -- and two more golds at the 2004 Athens Olympics. He also won 11 world championships gold medals, including six at the 2001 championships at Fukuoka, Japan. When he won his first world championships gold at the age of 14 in Perth in 1998, he was the youngest-ever individual male world champion. At various times Thorpe held 13 individual world records and shared five others in relay events. The 400m freestyle was his signature event which he dominated at Olympics and World championships over more than six years. Thorpe retired from swimming in November, 2006, but attempted a comeback in 2012. His attempt to win a place on the Australian team for the London Olympics was unsuccessful and his thoughts of competing at the 2013 World Championships or 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games were thwarted by a shoulder injury. Friends said he struggled to adjust to life after swimming. John Tavares Jersey . Ben Street scored twice for the Heat (17-5-1), who won their fourth game in a row and 13th in their last 14 outings. Brett Bulmer scored the lone goal for the Wild (6-11-0), who dropped their sixth straight contest. Dave Keon Maple Leafs Jersey . In the days leading up to the draft, TSN.ca and TSN Radio basketball analyst Duane Watson looks at some of the names that will be headlining the event. 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Duck Calling With several marquee centres available via trade and expected to be available via free agency, the Anaheim Ducks could be primed to be big players in the coming days.PHILADELPHIA - The Philadelphia Eagles will likely be without veteran outside linebacker Trent Cole when they face a must-win game against the Redskins on Saturday.Cole suffered a broken hand in the Eagles 38-27 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, Sunday night. Defensive co-ordinator Bill Davis said it doesnt look good for the veteran to play Saturday.Theres some things he has to decide, Davis said.Cole has not decided yet if he is will have surgery on the hand, which would likely end his season. As far as playing this week, the 10-year veteran said he still has time to decide.Its all up in the air, he said. Well see. We still have time to decide.Brandon Graham, who will start in place of Cole, will make his first start since the 2012 season when he was a defensive end in a 4-3 alignment.Last year, under Davis, the Eagles switched to a 3-4 and Graham became the teams backup outside linebacker to Cole and Connor Barwin.Graham said Tuesday hes ready to play with the same intensity as Cole.Weve been together for five years now — I cant believe its been five years already — but Ive learned a lot from him in those years and Im ready, Graham said.Graham averages between 25 to 30 plays a game in a rotation with both Cole and Barwin. Now, hell be out there for almost every snap.Seldom-used first-round pick Marcus Smith becomes tthe No.dddddddddddd3 linebacker.It helps a lot that Ive been playing the amount Ive been playing, Graham said. If I wasnt playing at all, that would be tough.Graham has played in 38 per cent of the teams defensive plays this season, compared to 75 per cent for Cole and Barwins 86 per cent. Hes managed 5 1/2 sacks, 13 quarterback hurries and a team-high four forced fumbles.Theres no doubt what Trent means to our pass rush, Davis said. He moves the quarterback off the spot. A lot of the sacks we get are because of Trent. But we have a lot of confidence in B.G.Cole, who is second to Reggie White on the Eagles all-time sack list with 85 1/2, has started and played 56 straight games. The last game he missed was at Washington in 2011 when he had a calf injury. Eight of his 85 1/2 sacks have also come against the Redskins.Moving Graham in for Cole isnt as huge of a drop off as the next step, which is Smith moving up to the No. 3 spot.In the teams 14 games, Smith has been inactive twice and missed five others despite suiting up. Moving back and forth between inside and outside linebacker, hes played a total of 68 plays all season. His game high 16 came in the Eagles first game against Washington.By moving him around, we kind of hurt his progress, Davis said of Smith. Well have him back outside this week. ' ' '