Ian Thorpe mulling lawsuit against Daily Telegraph over 'pill photo': report

Ian Thorpe is reportedly contemplating legal action against the Daily Telegraph after the newspaper published a photo of him and insinuated he was being offered a pill on Mardi Gras night.

The Olympic champion's manager James Erskine told the Sydney Morning Herald he had been meeting with lawyers this week over what they say was just a breath mint.

"I think the paper is waiting for us to take legal action. But really, what would they expect?" Mr Erskine said.

"The whole front page of the paper was dedicated to a story about Ian Thorpe not taking a pill, which turned out to be a mint."

The pictures published on the front page on Monday show friend Oliver Barry trying to put a white tablet-shaped object into Thorpe's mouth.

But the swimmer declined whatever the object was.

The photos were taken on Saturday night in Point Piper during Mardi Gras weekend, just down the street from Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's house.

Thorpe had turned down an offer to appear on the Australian Olympic Committee's float in the Mardi Gras parade, attending a private party nearby instead.