Aus swim star Thorpe admitted to rehab for depression

Australian swimming great Ian Thorpe has been admitted to rehab after suffering from depression, local media said on Monday.

Police were called after Thorpe was found disoriented and behaving oddly near a vehicle and the 31-year-old was later taken to Bankstown hospital on Monday.

"He is in rehab for depression," Thorpe's manager James Erskine told the Australian Associated Press.

"The owner of the car basically called the police and the police came.

"They realised it was Ian Thorpe. They realised he was disoriented."

The five-times Olympic champion, who made his Games debut as a teenager in Sydney in 2000, retired in 2006 citing waning motivation and made a comeback early in 2011 but failed to make the Australian team for London.

Erskine said Thorpe was taking anti-depressants and medication for a shoulder injury but was not under the influence of alcohol.

"He hadn't had a drink," Erskine added.

"He had zero alcohol in him."