Thorpe in rehab battling depression, alcohol

Ian Thorpe has been admitted to a Sydney hospital after suffering an injury related to his decade-long battle with depression and alcohol abuse.

Thorpe, 31, was admitted to hospital on Wednesday night after injuring himself in a fall, family members told The Daily Telegraph.

The former Olympian remains there today, supported by specialist medical staff as he faces his well-publicised battle against depression and alcohol abuse.

Thorpe himself documented his struggle against what he described as "crippling depression" in his autobiography published last year.

"I used alcohol as a means to rid my head of terrible thoughts, as a way of managing my moods," he wrote. "I did it behind closed doors, where many depressed people choose to fight their demons before they realise they can't do it without help.

"There were numerous occasions as I trained to defend my Olympic titles in Athens that I abused myself this way — always alone and in a mist of disgrace. It's like a weight is pressing down on you. There are days when you just can't get out of bed. You cannot face the world."

Close friends of Thorpe reportedly said they were shocked by the development, with the swimming great smiling and seeming in good spirits during numerous public appearances since his return to Australia to stay with his parents at their Panania home, in Sydney's inner south-west, over Christmas.

Thorpe had been living in Switzerland for 18 months.

"He had an accident at home," one unnamed close friend told The Daily Telegraph, "He slipped and hurt himself."

"We're hoping he's going to be okay and make a full recovery."

Thorpe claimed five Olympic gold medals in the pool at Sydney and Athens, the most won by any Australian, but failed in his bid to make a comeback at the 2012 Games in London.