Former AFL football star Gary Ablett Snr has confessed his shame about his post-career battle with drugs and the death of a young companion during a drug binge with him.

The 248-game veteran said he turned to drugs because of a lifelong battle with depression.

"I have battled with bouts of depression right throughout my life and it got to a point where I was so desperate to relieve it I started to experiment with drugs," he told News Limited.

"I started using cocaine thinking it was the answer, and for the first time in a long time I wasn't depressed.

"So I continued to use cocaine and then ecstasy, not realising how destructive it was until later on."

Ablett's drug use spiralled until the death of 20-year-old Alisha Horan, an infatuated fan who died in Ablett's room at Melbourne's Park Hyatt Hotel from what coroner Noreen Toohey described at a 2001 inquest as a combination of heroin, ecstasy and amphetamines.

Ablett had refused to answer police questions on legal advice and declined to respond to most questions at the inquest, but later made a full statement to police.

Ablett was cleared of criminal charges but was fined $1,500 for using and possessing heroin and ecstasy.

"Apart from the pain and grief of the tragedy, I felt a deep sense of shame and failure over my own behaviour, and I still feel deep regret and remorse. I just wish I had a time machine," he said.

"I can't begin to imagine the pain suffered by those close to Alisha and in no way do I want to attempt to beguile her loved ones of the pain and grief of a loss so great.

"After it happened I could not get out of bed for about six weeks, such was the devastation. I was so grieved and depressed over the whole thing."

But Ablett said he was "disappointed and grieved" by the personal judgements of some about his lifestyle, saying personal and media criticism showed "the old tall poppy syndrome is alive and well in Australia"

Ablett thanked his "relationship with Jesus" for enduring his self-destructive behaviour.

Ablett is due to release a sport-oriented biography early next month.

The book does not refer to Ms Horan's death.

"It's a football book and I don't think it's appropriate, and I don't want to be in any way profiting from that tragedy," he said.

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP