Once he arrived in Los Angeles Olympic legend Grant Hackett told reporters that he was there for a retreat something he had in the works for a while, “No, I’m not calling this rehab whatsoever,” the 33-year-old told reporters at the airport.
“This is a retreat, to get away for a while, to recharge the batteries which I have been planning for some time.”
Hackett said he was planning to “get away for a little bit of time to myself”, adding:
“Everything will be fine, I’m just looking forward to a bit of a break.”
The reasons that Hackett gave to reporters for being in Los Angeles contradict statements that have been made by both his management team and his family. In two articles in the Brisbane Times both Hackett’s manager, Chris White and his father, Neville Hackett told very different stories.
“Grant is currently in transit to seek treatment for a dependency to Stilnox medication,” News Limited quoted Mr White as saying.
“His family and friends are enormously proud of his courage in pursuing this course of action.”
Neville Hackett told Eyewitness News that his son let his family know he needed help, but did not reveal what he needed help with.
In a separate interview with Triple M Sydney Mr. Hackett explained that once his family and friends knew his son needed help they took immediate action, “We sought expert advice and we had a meeting with these experts and some of his friends and we decided to take the action with Grant without him knowing. But as a result of Friday night that action was brought forward by two days,” said Mr. Hackett.
“I’m quite sure he didn’t tell them everything, but he won’t be able to fool the experts for long. We don’t know exactly how much he is affected by this, I mean on a permanent basis, but I’m assured by the experts that there’s a great possibility that he will be able to return to normal as a result of the treatment that we’ve sought for him.”
On Friday night the former world record holder was pictured without a shirt and barefoot at the Melbourne’s Crown Casino frantically searching for his four year old son Jagger who went missing from the apartment they had been staying in. It has been reported that his son was found by the security staff later that evening.
“I was focused solely on finding Jagger and nothing else,’’ Hackett told news.com.au. “When I discovered him missing I went in hasty pursuit, but perhaps with a swimmer’s sense of dress.’’
When asked by Eyewitness News if his son was in denial Mr. Hackett was very direct with his answer, “No doubt, no doubt. He does say he needs treatment, he probably doesn’t know the extent of what treatment he needs nor do we at this stage. That is why an assessment is being done this morning.”
“I would suspect Stilnox but I can’t be 100 per cent sure and that is why we’ve taken that action we’ve taken. We got onto the best experts we could who were available. They suggested the US after two meetings we had, and that’s how it’s all come about. We weren’t about to tell the world about this, of course, because we consider it a private family matter, but Grant being who he is, it’s all over the media,” Mr. Hackett told Triple M Sydney.
Mr. Hackett was optimistic that the experts in the United States would be able to properly assess his son and that Grant would return in a much better state, “I’m quite sure he didn’t tell them everything, but he won’t be able to fool the experts for long. We don’t know exactly how much he is affected by this, I mean on a permanent basis, but I’m assured by the experts that there’s a great possibility that he will be able to return to normal as a result of the treatment that we’ve sought for him.”
In his interview with Eyewitness News Mr. Hackett praised his son’s management, coach and mother for doing a fantastic job helping his son throughout his life. He also said that his son “finds himself a bit alone now.”
Hackett and his wife of five years, Candice Alley split up in May of last year. The two had twins together, Charlize and Jagger, who are now four.