Ian Thorpe is in rehab after being found disoriented near his parent’s home at 3am on a combination of antidepressants and medication for a shoulder injury.

His admission to hospital comes days after his management denied the swimming great was in rehab battling depression and alcohol abuse.

Thorpe was taken for a medical assessment on Monday to Bankstown hospital which wouldn’t release him unless he went into rehab.

“He is battling with his health issues at the moment and he is having a tough time,” Ken Thorpe told News Corp.

“But hopefully in six months’ time he will be out the other side.”

Police were called to a street in Panania in Sydney’s south on Monday morning after a resident reportedly spotted a man trying to break into a van.

“He is in rehab for depression,” his manager James Erskine told AAP.

But Mr Erskine said the five-time Olympic gold medallist had thought he was sitting in his friend’s car.

“The owner of the car basically called the police and the police came,” he said.

“They realised it was Ian Thorpe. They realised he was disoriented.”

Mr Erskine said Thorpe, 31, had been taking antidepressants and medication for his shoulder.

“He hadn’t had a drink,” he said. “He had zero alcohol in him.”

A NSW police spokeswoman said no further action would be taken.

The incident comes just days after the former swimming star’s management denied earlier reports he had endured the latest round of a decade-long battle with “crippling depression” and alcohol abuse.

Swimming legend @IanThorpe in hospital after being found disorientated. @breenie9 explains further in #9NewsAt6 pic.twitter.com/MP7wmWkSlN

— Nine News Melbourne (@9newsmelb) February 3, 2014

It was widely reported that the 31-year-old had entered rehab last week.

Thorpe has been living in Switzerland for 18 months, but returned to Sydney to spend the Christmas period with his family at his parents’ Panania home.

The 31-year-old released an autobiography last year in which he said he had struggled with depression and alcohol abuse.

* Readers seeking support and information about depression can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or beyondblue on 1300 22 46 36.