Australian swimming legend Ian Thorpe may never swim again after contracting two potentially deadly infections.
The 31-year-old five-time Olympic god medallist is receiving treatment at a Sydney hospital after contracting the bugs, following a series of surgeries on his shoulder at a hospital near his home in the Swiss town of Ronco sopra Ascona.
Ian’s agent James Erskine confirmed the swimming great was receiving treatment and that he was ‘quite sick’.
“It’s serious but it’s not life-threatening,” he told AAP. “He’s contracted two forms of bugs in hospital.
“He’s undergone two or three operations over the last two months so … I mean bad luck. He’s quite sick but that’s the situation.”
Ian is said to be in good spirits and has received numerous visitors while in hospital.
While the infection was serious, Ian’s agent rubbished earlier reports that he would lose use of his left arm, but confirmed Ian would not swim competitively again.
“From a competitive point of view – he will not be swimming competitively again I don’t think,” he said.
This is the latest upset in Ian’s life. In February, his father revealed he was battling depression following an ill-fated attempt to compete at the 2012 London Olympics.
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