Sport to politics: Swapping medals for electoral glory

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Imran Khan is set to be sworn in as Pakistan's prime minister on Saturday, completing a journey from cricketing icon to national leader.

As sports stars become ever more political, CGTN Digital takes a look at the current leaders who have made the leap from competing for medals to winning elections.

World Cup winner: Imran Khan led Pakistan to cricketing glory in the 1992 World Cup at the age of 39, after over two decades as one of the world's premier all-rounders.

Prime minister: He founded Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf in 1996, and after more than 20 years of gradual electoral progress the party won the most seats in the 2018 elections – putting Khan on track to be his country's new prime minister.

World Cup winner: Romario, known for his laid back playing style and goal-scoring exploits, netted 55 times in 70 appearances for Brazil, won the World Cup in 1994 and claims to have scored 1,000 professional goals in a 23-year career.

Senator: He was elected to Brazil's Senate in 2014 in Rio de Janeiro and plans to run for governor of the metropolis in October; he has also teamed up with former strike partner Bebeto, with whom he shared an iconic baby cradling celebration in 1994, to push for reform of the city.

11 world titles: Pacquiao is one of boxing's all-time greats: he is a world champion across eight different weight divisions and has won 11 major world titles. At the age of 39 he's still fighting, and there's even speculation he could be set for a rematch with US star Floyd Mayweather.

Senator: He was elected to the Philippine House of Representatives in 2010 and 2013, and in 2016 made the step up to the Senate.

World Footballer of the Year: Weah had an illustrious career as a striker for Monaco, Paris Saint-Germain and AC Milan, where he won FIFA's World Player of the Year award in 1995.

President: He failed in a bid for the Liberian presidency in 2005, but was elected as a senator in 2014 and won a runoff election in 2017 to become his country's president.

Olympic gold: Flessel-Colovic won individual and team Olympic gold for fencing at Atlanta 1996, and took individual glory at the world championships six times.

Sports minister: She has been France's sports minister since 2017, and is responsible for preparing for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Clockwise from top left: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko, Tblisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze, French President Emmanuel Macron, Russian President Vladimir Putin. /CGTN Compilation

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is a football obsessive who played in his country's fourth tier; President Emmanuel Macron, who closely associated himself with France's World Cup win in 2018, was registered as a player with the French Football Federation from 2004 to 2007.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is well-known for his love of judo and ice hockey; Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is a former snowboard instructor, keen yoga practitioner and once took part in a charity boxing bout.

And two mayors in Eastern Europe have a top-class sporting pedigree: former heavyweight boxing champion Vitali Klitschko is mayor of Ukrainian capital Kiev and double Champions League winner Kakha Kaladze is in charge of Georgian capital Tbilisi.