Sportsman Who Entered The Political World

While many athletes are able to make a name for themselves with their amazing
physical attributes and achievements within their sporting profession, many stars
have also become household names thanks to their involvement in politics and
various other authoritarian roles that they have since taken up following on from their
retirements from their active playing careers.

Whenever an athlete retires from their sporting career they are usually aiming to begin taking
up other notable professions that they could also succeed greatly at achieving, with some of
these examples often including coaching, media punditry or even becoming celebrities in
other varieties.

One such industry that many athletes have often taken up a keen interest is Politics as there
have been countless high-profile names from various sporting backgrounds who have since
taken up a position as a politician or any related role following their highly successful
sporting career.

From mayors, governors to even becoming president of their own country, here are some of
the top Sports stars who also became very successful figures in the political world.

Herschel Walker:

Walker was widely viewed by many as one of football’s top running backs of his era as he
enjoyed an incredibly successful college career with the Georgia Bulldogs, where he won a
Heisman trophy and the National Championship, before becoming a household name in the
NFL.

After three years in the USFL, Walker would spend a full decade in the NFL as he suited up
for the likes of the Dallas Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles and New York
Giants throughout the course of a very respected career, with some of his former teams now
being firmly in the discussion for a place in this year’s Superbowl game according to the
latest NFL odds on DraftKings.

Following on from his retirement in 1997, Walker has remained increasingly active in the
business sector but has since appeared mainly in politics as he was appointed as to
President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition by Donald Trump in 2018 before it was
later announced that he would be running for the Republican Senate seat in the 2022
election for the state of Georgia.

George Weah:

Widely regarded by many as one of, if not, the greatest African Football player of all time,
former AC Milan, Monaco and PSG icon George Weah enjoyed a tremendous career in the
world’s most popular sport as he claimed numerous prestigious honors such as becoming a
three-time African Footballer of the year, two-time Serie A Champion, one-time French
Champion and a one-time FA Cup winner amongst others.

However, Weah’s most coveted honor came in the 1994/95 season as he became the first
and only African Footballer to claim the Ballon d’Or award which is handed out to the best
individual player from that specified season, an honor that only the very best that the sport
has ever witnessed will have the distinction of claiming.

Born in Liberia and representing his country on the international level numerous times during
his playing career, Weah has remained an icon of the proud nation and has since become
the country’s President which is a role that he has held since his election in 2018 and will
remain in office until January of 2024.

Vitali Klitschko:

Following on from his retirement from a stellar career in professional Boxing that saw the
Ukrainian claim numerous world title honors and earn a reputation as one of the most
decorated heavyweight fighters of all-time, Vitali Klitschko soon became a pillar of Ukrainian
Politics as he was voted in as mayor of the nation’s capital Kyiv only a year after his
retirement and has since held the position to this day.
Vitali, and his fellow Boxing superstar brother Wladimir, have both remained very active in

Ukrainian Politics in the year’s following their retirements from Boxing which has since
included their tireless efforts to help aid those affected by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Both resilient fighters in and out of the ring, the Klitschko brothers have become symbols of
Ukraine’s resistance to the threats posed by Russia as they continue working with president
Volodymyr Zelenskyy as they aim to fight for their proud nation and protect as many lives as
humanely possible.

Manny Pacquiao:

From one celebrated boxer to another, Manny Pacquiao is widely regarded by many to be
ranked amongst the greatest fighters of all-time, with the former world champion also being a
stalwart of Philippine politics.

After previously serving as a member of the Philippine House of Representatives from 2010
to 2016, the ‘Pac Man’ soon became the nation’s senator from 2016 and was even able to
continue donning the gloves into his 40’s before retiring from in-ring duties in 2022.
Pacquiao also declared his candidacy for President of the Philippines in the 2022 election
but would ultimately lose to current President Bongbong Marcos.