Swimming: Thorpedo drops doping defamation

Aussie swimmer Ian Thorpe is frustrated with fighting a French newspaper over doping claims. Photo / Getty Images

SYDNEY - A frustrated Ian Thorpe has dropped a defamation suit over doping claims after feeling the case had dragged on for too long.

Australia's most successful Olympian was suing French newspaper L'Equipe, its publisher, and journalist Damien Ressiot over an article published in March 2007 during the world swimming championships in Melbourne.

The paper claimed the swimmer gave a urine sample in May 2006 that showed abnormal levels of testosterone and a luteinising hormone before he retired from the sport in November that year.

Thorpe had wanted his day in court but counsel for neither L'Equipe nor Ressiot appeared in court despite being served with the proceedings several times.

"I think it definitely has been (frustrating) for Ian. It is an expensive process and at some point in time you have to make the call," Thorpe's manager David Flaskas said.

"Ian feels he has been vindicated and that it is time for him to move on and let it go.

"This has dragged on over two years and how long do you keep going?"

Mr Flaskas said Thorpe had been "blind-sided" by the newspaper reports during the 2007 world swimming championships, which he attended as a spectator.

"It was just a shock and it rattled Ian so much, and he was very determined this was something he did not want any other athlete to be subjected to," he said.

Thorpe was cleared of any doping allegations by the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority in August 2007.

- AAP