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Jonathan White

Could Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson really be president?
That is what UK-based bookmaking aggregator Oddschecker indicated the punters think, as reported by Newsweek earlier this month.
The college American footballer turned professional wrestler turned world’s best paid actor has become the third-most-backed person with UK bookmakers for November’s election.

Where are you?#normalizeequality#blacklivesmatter pic.twitter.com/Xid3BC4B2n
— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) June 4, 2020

This followed Johnson’s impassioned Black Lives Matter speech on social media on June 4 in which he called out US president Donald Trump. Now Johnson sits behind only Democrat candidate Joe Biden and Trump.
The idea is not a new one. “Dwayne Johnson for President!” ran the headline of a GQ interview in May, 2017.

Yes, we now have an official draft @TheRock political committee registered with the @FEC. pic.twitter.com/ylQxuZkOev
— Dave Levinthal (@davelevinthal) July 10, 2017

As the article pointed out, the idea stemmed from a Washington Post op-ed the summer before.
“Last June, when The Washington Post published an op-ed suggesting he could be a viable candidate, Johnson posted a screen grab and gave the idea a boost,” GQ wrote.
“On Instagram, he called the Post piece ‘interesting’ and ‘fun to read,’ adding that ‘the most important thing right now is strong honest leadership from our current and future leaders of this country.’


“Since then,” the article goes on, “he's given the question more thought. ‘A year ago,’ he says, ‘it started coming up more and more. There was a real sense of earnestness, which made me go home and think, ‘Let me really rethink my answer and make sure I am giving an answer that is truthful and also respectful.’ I didn't want to be flippant – ‘We'll have three days off for a weekend! No taxes!’”
“I think that it's a real possibility,” Johnson said when GQ asked if he might one day run.
The pollsters have tested it out, with Public Policy Polling putting Johnson and Trump head-to-head in a May 2017 poll. Johnson won.

Fans have tried to force Johnson’s hand, too, setting up a “Run The Rock 2020” campaign on his behalf in 2017. US website The Hill reported that a Kenton Tilford of West Virginia registered Johnson with the Federal Election Commission in July, 2017, making him eligible to run this November.
By that point Johnson had joked about running on Saturday Night Live – with Tom Hanks as his running mate – but it is clearly not just a joke.
He since ruled out running in 2020 in a 2018 interview with Rolling Stone but he did not rule out running in the future. “I’m not ruling it out,” he told IndieWire at Sundance last year, “I’m not ruling out the idea if I could make a bigger impact somehow, or potentially surround myself with good people.”

He scored 3807 runs and took 362 wickets in Test cricket!
3709 runs and 182 ODI wickets and was Pakistan's 1992 World Cup winning captain
Happy birthday Imran Khan! pic.twitter.com/T0YP7to5hP
— ICC (@ICC) October 5, 2019

Johnson would not be the first sports star to transition into politics, nor would he be the only world leader.
Prime minister of Pakistan Imran Khan turned to politics after a glittering cricket career that peaked with him captaining his country to the 1992 Cricket World Cup, aged 39. He then set up his own political party, the PTI, upon his retirement, and they were voted in to power in 2018 with Khan becoming prime minister of Pakistan.
Another all-rounder was Jack Lynch, who was Taoiseach of Ireland twice – from 1966 to 1973 and 1977 to 1979. Lynch won All-Ireland finals in both Gaelic football and hurling – winning five in the latter – as captain of Cork in the 1940s. He was regarded as one of the greatest to play both games.

#OnThisDay 1971 UK Prime Minister Edward Heath steered the British yachting team to victory in the Admiral's Cup #MaritimeHistory pic.twitter.com/2fmZ3bsCCS
— WatkinsMarine (@WatkinsMarine) August 11, 2017

Over the water, Ted Heath was British prime minister from 1970 to 1974 and a renowned sailor. Heath won the Sydney to Hobart in 1969 on his Morning Cloud yacht, then captained Britain to victory in the 1971 America’s Cup. He was also captain during the ill-fated Fastnet race in 1979.
Heath was not the first British leader to excel at sport. Alec Douglas-Home represented Oxford University, Middlesex and the MCC in first-class cricket in the mid-1920s before embarking on a political career that saw him become prime minister for 12 months from October, 1963.
Lower down the political pyramid are Brazil’s world champion footballers Romario and Bebeto. The strikers won the 1994 Fifa World Cup in the US and both ended up in politics back home after hanging up their boots.

A REMINDER:#OnThisDay 1994
Brazil beat Holland 3-2 to reach the World Cup semi-finals. Bebeto was on the scoresheet which led to a classic celebration
Holland 2️⃣ Bergkamp ⚽️, Winter ⚽️
Brazil 3️⃣ Romário ⚽️, Bebeto ⚽️, Branco ⚽️pic.twitter.com/wRhBgXJ2Dr
— Football Remind (@FootballRemind) July 9, 2019

Romario was elected to Brazil’s lower house of congress in 2010 and became a senator in 2014, representing Rio de Janeiro. He even ran for Rio governor on behalf of Podemos. Bebeto has been an elected member of Rio’s state assembly since 2010.
Still with football, George Weah has been president of Liberia since 2018. The former AC Milan striker played 53 times for his country in a career that took in some of Europe’s biggest football clubs and saw him crowned Fifa World Player of the Year and Ballon d’Or winner in 1995.
He founded the Congress for Democratic Change ahead of the 2005 presidential elections and later ran as vice-president in 2011, before winning the 2017 election.

#OnThisDay@GeorgeWeahOff put on a show against Monaco. #120AnsDeLegende x ⚪️pic.twitter.com/b1mwDK8d4I
— Olympique de Marseille (@OM_English) December 20, 2019

In the Pacific, Fiji was led by Sitiveni Rabuka, who in addition to being prime minister of Fiji (having also led two coups) was later leader of the opposition. Rabuka competed for Fiji in the shot put, hammer throw, discus and decathlon at the 1974 Commonwealth Games.
Staying in the region, Philippines boxer Manny Pacquiao has been a serving senator since 2016.

One of the greatest boxers of all time, Pacquiao has still found time to continue boxing. His last fight was last summer when he beat Keith Thurman on judges decision in Las Vegas – the win made history with Pacquiao becoming the oldest welterweight world champ at 40 and the first four-decade champion.
Top Rank promoter Bob Arum is among those to back Pacquiao to run for president in an interview with The Manila Times at the weekend. The interview came after Arum had said Pacquiao told him he would run for president in 2022.
“The first president I think we’ll get, as a fighter, is Manny Pacquiao,” he said.

While Pacquiao would be the first boxer, Johnson would not even be the first former wrestler to become a world leader.
President of Mongolia Khaltmaagiin Battulga is a former sambo world champion, winning the title in Kiev in 1983. He also twice finished runner-up at the tournament and was president of Mongolia’s judo federation.


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Manny Pacquiao

Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and Manny Pacquiao for president? Sport has long history with politics

Former wrestler Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson attends the ceremony honouring him with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2017. Photo: EPA

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 02: Dwayne "the Rock" Johnson holds the belt for the Welterweight bout between Jorge Masvidal of the United States and Nate Diaz of the United States during UFC 244 at Madison Square Garden on November 02, 2019 in New York City. Steven Ryan/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==

US President Donald Trump speaks with reporters as he welcomes Mongolian President Khaltmaa Battulga in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, DC, on July 31, 2019. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP)

FILE PHOTO: Jul 20, 2019; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Manny Pacquiao boxes against Keith Thurman (not pictured) during their WBA welterweight championship bout at MGM Grand Garden Arena. Pacquiao won via split decision. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports/File Photo

From golf to cycling Donald Trump’s history with sport is tale of cheating, failure and feuds

US president Donald Trump shows off his form at his golf course in Jupiter, Florida. Photo: AP

President Donald Trump speaks during a briefing with the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee and Los Angeles 2028 organizers, Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2020, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump ride in the Presidential limousine as they take a pace lap ahead of the start of the Daytona 500 Nascar race at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida, February 16, 2020. - They made a complete lap - a first with the full fleet of racing cars, according to a top NASCAR official. President Trump crossed the finish line. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / POOL / AFP)

President Donald Trump looks on as Ultimate Fighting Championship president Dana White speaks during a campaign rally at The Broadmoor World Arena, Thursday, Feb. 20, 2020, in Colorado Springs, Colo. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Former NY Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the President Donald Trump run competing Super Bowl ads. Poking fun at the stature of the former New York City mayor, who is 5 feet, 8 inches, Trump stated falsely that the Democratic White House hopeful wants party leaders to let him stand on a box should he qualify for a presidential debate. (Robert Sam/New York Daily News/TNS)

FILE PHOTO: U.S. property magnate Donald Trump practices his swing at the 13th tee of his new Trump International Golf Links course on the Menie Estate near Aberdeen, Scotland June 20, 2011. REUTERS/David Moir/File Photo

FILE - In this April 1, 2007, file photo, Donald Trump, left, and Bobby Lashley, right shave the head of Vince McMahon after Lashley defeated Umaga at Wrestlemania 23 at Ford Field in Detroit. Lashley is no Brock Lesnar. But the TNA Wrestling heavyweight champion hopes his shift to Bellator can give a boost to both second-tier promotions. Lashley has one of the featured bouts on Friday night when Bellator goes head-to-head on national TV vs. UFC. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File)

UFC: The Rock responds to Nate Diaz saying he ‘picked the wrong side’ with Jorge Masvidal

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson holds the ‘BMF’ belt for the bout between Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz at UFC 244 at Madison Square Garden. Photo: AFP

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, center, places the "BMF" belt on Jorge Masvidal, left, as Nate Diaz reacts after a welterweight mixed martial arts bout at UFC 244 early Sunday, Nov. 3, 2019, in New York. Masvidal won in the fourth round. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

WWE: The Rock praises Cody Rhodes promo on AEW – ‘intent, passion, execution’

Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson (left) with the 'BMF' belt at UFC 244 and Cody Rhodes (right) on AEW Dynamite. Photo: AFP/AEW

UFC 244: Nate Diaz says The Rock picked wrong side with Jorge Masvidal – ‘he can get it too’

Jorge Masvidal is awarded the ‘BMF’ belt by Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson after his victory by TKO on a medical stoppage against Nate Diaz at UFC 244. Photo: AFP

The Rock will present US$50,000 ‘BMF’ title belt to Nate Diaz or Jorge Masvidal at UFC 244

Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson attends the Skyscraper film premiere in New York. Photo: AP

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World leaders Imran Khan and Khaltmaagiin Battulga are among long line of sports stars turning to politics
Manny Pacquiao tipped by Top Rank’s Bob Arum to fight for Philippines presidency as fans call on Johnson to run in US


Manny Pacquiao tipped by Top Rank’s Bob Arum to fight for Philippines presidency as fans call on Dwayne Johnson to run in US.


US presidential election 2020

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