Ian Thorpe has vowed to track down and possibly prosecute the person or organisation that leaked his adverse analytical finding in a doping test, tarnishing his reputation.

Thorpe fronted a packed media conference in Melbourne and said he was confident that his name would be cleared following a report a urine sample he gave last May returned unusual levels of testosterone and luteinizing hormone (LH).

The adverse analytical finding to the naturally produced substances does not constitute a positive test but swimming's world governing body FINA has sought clarification of it through the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

The news was broken by French newspaper L'Equipe on its website in the early hours of Saturday morning (AEST), Thorpe incensed that his privacy had been violated by the leaking of a test result which is not positive before the matter had been finalised.

Thorpe said his first concern was to clear his name of any doping suspicion, then he would investigate finding the leak and possibly pursuing legal action.

"There's two very distinct and separate issues here. One is the test itself and the other one is the legalities of what's happened to my privacy and defamation," Thorpe said.

"All of these things I need to investigate.

"I am deeply alarmed that information about my test result was leaked to the press before I was informed of it.

"The press receiving this information before an athlete jeopardises the whole integrity of the testing process.

"The obligations of confidentiality that are owed to me under the WADA Code are meant to protect the reputations of innocent people from being damaged by media speculation while the routine results management processes are being undertaken.

"I have been deprived of this protection by the deliberate act of the person who leaked this information.

"I can only speculate at the motives of the person or persons responsible."

Three organisations would have known of the case, FINA, the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA), which says it is still looking into it, and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

The 24-year-old has been a staunch anti-doping campaigner his entire career and his forthright views on the subject sometimes raised the ire of international swimming officials.

Thorpe had no inkling who had leaked his test, but felt the timing of the story in the midst of Melbourne's world championships was "quite opportune and I don't think it was a coincidence that it happened here."

"I'm not sure (who leaked it) at the moment, but I will know," said Thorpe.

"It won't be now and for me that's not the important thing because I could get very angry about it. But we will know eventually.

"I don't know about (having any) enemies (within swimming). I speak my mind and it gets me into trouble ... unfortunately being honest tends to offend a lot of people.

"There's about three different groups that I think could be responsible for this, just with how the process works or a group of people from within those places that may have leaked the information.

"I don't think it is a smear campaign from FINA, but I may be right I may be wrong."

Thorpe's lawyer Tony O'Reilly confirmed the five-time Olympic gold medallist would pursue his legal avenues.

"The breach of confidentiality is a very stark one," O'Reilly said.

"There are provisions within the (WADA) code to protect people when routine processes are going on. They are to stop this sort of media speculation that damages people's reputation.

"Everybody who signs onto the WADA code is obliged to comply with it and if somebody hasn't it is a very, very serious matter."

Thorpe said his case should not only be of concern to him, but to all athletes around the world.

"To know that information can be leaked is a serious breach of what we sign up for and it will have to be investigated," he said.

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP