French judo star Teddy Riner may have announced his bid for the 2027 French presidential campaign on Monday, but he is not the only sports star to transition from stadium to bully pulpit. Read about some of his most famous predecessors.
Issued on: 10/11/2026 - 17:59Modified: 10/11/2026 - 17:59
French judo legend Teddy Riner's announcement that he will participate as a candidate in next year's French presidential election might have been drawn scepticism from some, but he is not the first sports star to reach high office.
The charismatic Pakistani captain led his country to their sole Cricket World Cup victory in 1992.
It was a very personal triumph when he used his £90,000 ($121,000) prize money and high profile to raise the funds to build a cancer hospital – free of charge to patients – named after his mother Shaukat Khanum, who died from the illness in 1985.
When the hospital opened in 1994, Khan said: "It was a feeling of triumph within the country. It was like winning another World Cup".
The Oxford graduate may have thought the volatile Pakistani dressing room was the ideal learning ground for domestic politics, but he suffered a torrid political career.
Elected an MP in 2002, he became prime minister in 2018 and ruled till 2022.
