Thorpe given time to produce medical evidence

DOPING: Olympic and world champion swimmer Ian Thorpe has been granted an open-ended extension to supply medical information to Australian investigators probing irregularities in a urine sample.

Thorpe was given until April 22 to provide the information to the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority, three days after a report surfaced that he tested for high levels of two hormones in May of last year.

However, his legal team won an extension, the Sydney Morning Herald reported Wednesday.

Lawyers for the 11-time world champion and five-time Olympic gold medalist, who retired from competition in November, are preparing a "comprehensive response to a request from ASADA for pathological or physiological explanation for the high readings of testosterone and luteinising hormone," the newspaper said.

The Sydney Morning Herald said medical experts have been asked to provide affidavits in support of Thorpe's claim that his testosterone ratio was normal for him.

They also have provided written evidence that luteinising hormone levels are vary in individuals and are always unpredictable.

Thorpe vowed to clear his name of any doping allegations when reports emerged last month during the Swimming World Championships.

"It is a long fight. Never will it be completely clean now," Thorpe said on April 2. "Whatever happens, and you can have concrete evidence there that proves that, but people will still question."

SYDNEY, Wednesday, AP