Yao Ming, the Politician, and Other Notable International Athletic Stars Turned Politicos

Word has come over the wires that former Houston Rocket star Yao Ming has made his political debut at age 31, only months into retirement. Such a move by Lurch Addams's Chinese half-brother should come as little surprise. Even in retirement, Yao retains superstar status in China. He has a number of endorsement deals, and a brand of wine bearing his name. Although this is a rather modest entry into the political arena—just an appointment to a 142-member regional advisory body without any actual authority—Yao has struck a cautious tone, saying he doesn't want to be "hasty" in raising any proposals. That's probably the right way to go, given the minefield that is Chinese politics. Indeed, Yao sometimes found himself embroiled in political controversy during his playing days over seemingly minor issues, such as where his wife would give birth. Due to Yao's general hilariousness—usually but not always unintentional—he is a new favorite politician.

Given that my previous contribution to the blog was an examination of the relationship between sports and politics, I figured I'd make a top 10:

10. Menzies Campbell, Scotland

I had no choice but to include Campbell because, serendipitously, his nickname is "Ming." A top-notch Olympic sprinter in the 1960s, Campbell helped build the UK's Liberal Democrat Party and is one of the most visible figures in UK parliament.

9. Sebastian Coe, England

Another Olympic sprinter turned member of UK parliament, Coe won consecutive Olympic golds in the 1,500m and set eight world records during his career. He also was the head of London's successful bid for the 2012 Summer Olympics. I picked the famously charismatic Coe not only for his accomplishments but also because he's a bit of a wild card. For example, when asked about the controversial topic of an all-Great Britain soccer team, he reportedly said, "Yes to 2012 GB footy team. The Scots and Welsh? Fuck 'em"

8. Ken Dryden, Canada

Dryden chose not to stay in his native Toronto to play hockey, instead going to Cornell—ever heard of it?—where he won an NCAA championship. I like him for continuing to buck the system multiple more times in his athletic career. First, he sat out the '73-'74 season rather than accept a lowball offer from the Canadiens, taking the time to finish his law degree at McGill. Then, he retired in his prime, after only a bit more than seven seasons, after wining five Stanley Cups and a slew of top accolades.

7. Dawn Fraser, Australia

First of all, Fraser gets points in my book because reading up on her caused me to learn some new Aussie terminology, including hoick and larrikin. Fraser was also a really, really good swimmer, winning 8 Olympic medals and setting 39 world records. And being a really, really good swimmer makes you a BFD in Australia, which she parlayed into a raft of accolades and a stint in regional parliament. But the best part about Fraser is a story she denies: that she swam a moat and shimmied up a flagpole at Emperor Hirohito's palace to steal a souvenir flag during the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

6. George Weah, Liberia

Weah is a former soccer great who won FIFA's World Player of the Year award in 1995. Since then, he has founded the Congress for Democratic Change party in Liberia and run unsuccessfully for both president and vice-president. For reasons unknown, he came to the U.S. to obtain a degree in Business Management from DeVry University in Florida. Weah proved himself a model student by immediately relating his studies to his political career, citing his undergraduate Business 303 course in justifying his political strategy.

5. Marat Safin, Russia

Formerly the world's No. 1-ranked men's tennis pro, Safin won election to the lower house of Russian parliament just last month, as a member of Vladimir Putin's ruling United Russian party. As with Yao and China, Safin is the biggest name in a large group of former athletes (mostly Olympians) to enter politics. Safin has always been a colorful figure, but it's a bit ironic (or maybe not at all?) that the notoriously colorless Pete Sampras was the one to predict that Safin will become Russia's president in 20 years. Safin, for his part, did not disappoint with his own take on his political debut, proclaiming, "I could be the best looking guy in the Duma. But that's only because all the other guys are over 60."

4. Boyko Borisov, Bulgaria

Unlike the rest of this list, Borisov has never been an elite athlete. But he does have the distinction of playing professional soccer in Bulgaria at age 52—while also serving as the country's prime minister!—albeit for a third-division club. Even better, Bulgarians voted him the country's top soccer player, in landslide over Manchester United's Dimitar Berbatov, to express their disgust with Bulgaria's poor showing in European competition. To Borisov's credit, after winning the poll he recommended doing away with it.

3. Manny Pacquiao, Philippines

What isn't to like about Pac-Man? He has almost single-handedly kept his sport on life support during a low period, fighting across a dizzying array of weight classes and prompting Bob Arum to declare, "Pacquiao is the greatest boxer I've ever seen, and I've seen them all, including Ali, Hagler and Sugar Ray Leonard." Still at the top of the boxing world, Pacquiao has continued to fight while serving in his country's legislature and also doing some acting, even discussing a potential project with Sylvester Stallone. But, he still has yet to sign up for the fight everyone's been waiting years for: a showdown with Floyd Mayweather, Jr.

2. Imran Khan, Pakistan

In the Pakistani equivalent of water-cooler conversation, there aren't many topics that can compete with cricket and political corruption. Imran Khan is a leading figure in both areas, if not the figure. And he's assumed that status with consummate flair. In 1992, a the tail end of his career, he promised that underdog Pakistan would its first world cricket championship. And then it did, against England, its former colonial ruler. Now, 20 years later, he has built the "Movement for Justice" party that he founded into a major political force, based upon a platform of anti-corruption and social justice. He has gathered crowds of over 100,000 in each of Pakistan's most important cities, Karachi and Lahore,and upset the delicate two-party balance that previously reigned. Indeed, Khan's latest prediction, that his party will dominate the upcoming parliamentary elections, despite having only one seat in its 15-year history, seems plausible. If so, his supporters will get to trade in their Obama-referencing "Yes We Khan" shirts for some new ones reading, "Yes We Did."

1. Yao Ming, China

Yao's head and shoulders above the crowd—at least literally—and he's from a rapidly emerging world superpower. This could be big, so I'll give him the number one spot for now due to his "huge upside potential."