Schumacher's long-time press chief and manager, Sabine Kehm told reporters: "Apparently a journalist dressed as a priest had tried to gain access to Michael's room. I wouldn't have ever imagined something like this could happen."

Neither the journalist nor the publication concerned have been identified.

Former F1 World Champion Schumacher remains in an induced coma at Grenoble Hospital in France following a skiing accident on Sunday.

The world's press has descended on the institution since news of Schumacher's injury broke, with his doctors ending Tuesday's press conference with a plea for patience as they continue to treat the 44-year-old.

In their own statement, released on Monday, Schumacher's family said: "We would like to ask the media to respect the privacy of us and our friends and thank them for their support."

Kehm also attempted to shed some light on how Schumacher sustained the injury based on what she had been told by those who had been skiing with the seven-time World Champion.

"I think after having spoken to several people that were with Michael at the time that the group had been skiing on slopes that were normal slopes," she said.

"There was a red slope and a blue slope and in between there was a part which was deep snow and Michael went into that. But even after that, it would seem from everything people have told me that he was not even travelling at high speed as he had helped a friend who had fallen on the piste.

"So he started to ski again, went into the deep snow and apparently what we assume is he hit a rock when he wanted to do a curve and he was catapulted in the air and apparently went head down hitting another rock.

"It was extremely unfortunate circumstances and not because he was speeding too much. It was something, I have spoken to several people - including ski instructors - and they say it can happen at 10kph. It is just very, very unfortunate."