Anger over leak of swimmer Ian Thorpe's irregular dope test

Australia's top swimming executive on Monday demanded "a head on a platter" over the leaking to the media of details about champion swimmer Ian Thorpe's irregular drug test result.

Ian Thorpe, a global swimming star regarded as Australia's greatest Olympian, was named by French sports newspaper L'Equipe as having returned a drug test with abnormal levels of testosterone and luteinising hormone last May.

An angry and upset Ian Thorpe fronted a media conference on the sidelines of the World Swimming Championships in Melbourne on Sunday to deny any wrongdoing.

Ian Thorpe said he was devastated at the damage the smear would do to his reputation as a swimmer and as a supporter of drug-free sport.

"It is gut-wrenching. It really is," he said.

Ian Thorpe, who retired from swimming in November, said there were many innocent explanations for the presence of testosterone and luteinising hormone in his sample, both naturally occurring substances.

The 24-year-old Ian Thorpe vowed to hunt down whoever leaked his test results to the media and said he would consider legal action.

"I'm not sure (where the leak originated) at the moment. I will know and it won't be now," Ian Thorpe said.

Australian Swimming executive director Glenn Tasker said Monday the sport would seek to ensure those responsible for the leak were punished.

"I think it behoves all the organisations involved... to find out how this was leaked," Tasker told The Australian.

"I think we should have a head on a platter. We should know who it is and there should be some punishment."

Speaking on commercial television, Tasker pointed the finger of blame at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which handled paperwork relating to the case.

"I certainly do believe that something has happened in Europe, where as soon as the information was sent to CAS, that seems to be where the leak has occurred," he told the Nine Network.

Tasker said the sport's governing body, FINA, would launch an inquiry into how the leak occurred.

"FINA are as shocked about this as we are," he said. "We have an indication from FINA that as soon as all of their staff are back in Switzerland, which should be over the next 24 hours, they will be beginning an investigation."

The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority will also conduct an internal investigation into how the test result became public.

On Sunday, Australian head coach Alan Thompson demanded the leak be found to satisfy other swimmers that their test results were confidential.

"There needs to be an investigation to find out how it happened, why it happened and actions put in place to reaffirm to the athletes that they have complete privacy and confidentiality in all testing," he said.

But Ian Thorpe, who began representing Australia when he was 14 and went on to win five Olympic gold medals in freestyle and relay events for his country, fears the damage to his reputation is already done.

"It is already tarnished, it is as simple as that," Ian Thorpe said