Friday, 25 April 2025
Friday, 25 April 2025
Irish mixed martial artist Conor McGregor has announced his candidacy for the Irish presidency in elections later this year.
McGregor, who in recent years has emerged as a vocal figure for Ireland’s far-right, made his announcement on social media platform X, declaring his intent to challenge the government’s stance on a proposed European Union migration pact.
“The next presidential election must take place by 11 November 2025. Who else will stand up to the government and oppose the bill? Any other candidate they put forward will be no resistance to them. I will!” he wrote.
McGregor’s declaration came shortly after a meeting with former US president Donald Trump, further fueling speculation about his political ambitions.
“Ireland is at the cusp of potentially losing its Irishness,” McGregor said Monday, claiming the government had “abandoned the voices” of Irish people and that rural towns were being overrun by immigrants.
The Telegraph Online takes a look at some other sportspersons who went on to hold leadership position in their countries.
Imran Khan: From World Cup glory to Pakistan’s premiership
Imran Khan, Pakistan’s World Cup-winning cricket captain, became the 19th Prime Minister of Pakistan, serving from August 2018 to April 2022.
He is the founder and former chairman of the political party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) from 1996 to 2023.
Widely regarded as one of cricket’s greatest all-rounders, Khan was one of only eight cricketers to achieve the ‘All-rounder’s Triple’ in Test cricket—scoring over 3,000 runs and taking more than 300 wickets.
George Weah: Liberia’s footballing president
George Weah remains the only African footballer to have won the FIFA World Player of the Year award.
In a prolific 18-year playing career, Weah played for and won a host of trophies at elite clubs like AC Milan, Monaco, PSG, Chelsea, Marseille etc.
He lost his first presidential bid in 2005 but was elected Liberia’s president in 2017, becoming the first former professional footballer to lead a nation.
Weah’s remarkable journey from football stardom to the highest office in Liberia was described by legendary manager Arsène Wenger as something straight out of a movie: “I think the life of this guy is a real film, it’s unbelievable. It can make a fantastic film.”
Garry Kasparov: the man who could not check-mate Putin
Regarded as one of the greatest chess players in history, Garry Kasparov entered Russian politics in 2005 as a vocal critic of Vladimir Putin.
He entered the Russia presidential race in 2007 as the candidate of the ‘Other Russia’ coalition, which was later sidelined by the country’s political establishment.
Kasparov had alleged harassment from the Russian secret service since taking to politics and he had to give up on his presidential bid after being unable to rent a meeting hall where at least 500 of his supporters could assemble.
His spokesperson blamed the Russian government for using pressure to deter anyone from renting a hall.
Vitali Klitschko: the Ukranian boxer turned politician
Heavyweight titleholder Vitali Klitschko in October 2013, announced his possible candidacy for the Ukrainian presidency.
"I have decided to run for president of Ukraine [in] 2015," Klitschko said during a speech in front of the Ukrainian parliament.
Though he later withdrew and supported Petro Poroshenko’s campaign, Klitschko remains a major political figure in Ukraine.
He has served as the mayor of Kyiv since June 2014 and also heads the Kyiv City State Administration.
Idi Amin: Uganda’s boxer-turned-dictator
Idi Amin may forever be known as the man whose reign of terror in Uganda during the 1970s resulted in an astonishing number of deaths. But before climbing to the top of the power equation in his country, Amin was a prominent boxer during his time serving in the British, and later the Ugandan Army.
According to reports from the EastAfrican, Amin believed sports, particularly boxing, played a vital role in uniting the country.
He held the title of Ugandan Light Heavyweight Champion between 1951 and 1960.
“Amin is a one-time boxing champion in East Africa and was unbeaten throughout his boxing career,” the Voice of Uganda reported on December 11, 1974.
