He is considered the world's best basketball player of all time - but now Michael Jordan is entering another part of the sports world: Nascar.
The 57-year-old Chicago Bulls icon announces that he will be the owner of a new team in the American racing series and has recruited Bubba Wallace as driver.
- When I grew up in Carolina, my parents took me and my brothers and sisters to several races and I have been a Nascar fan all my life, Jordan says in a statement according to AFP.
Fighting racism
Bubba Wallace is the only black driver in Nascar and has been a strong driving force in the fight against racism, not least after George Floyd's high-profile deaths this spring.
Among other things, he has demanded that Nascar ban the flag of the United States in connection with the race and caused a great stir this summer when he found in his garage what he thought was a threat in the form of a deployed snare - something that turned out to be just an ordinary rope who had been at the scene for several months, according to the FBI federal police involved in the case.
"Difficult with diversity"
Michael Jordan, who is also the owner of the NBA team Charlotte Hornets, hopes that his new ownership will attract a wider audience to Nascar.
- Historically, Nascar has had a hard time with diversity and there have been few black owners, he says and continues:
- The timing seemed perfect as Nascar develops and welcomes social change more and more.
In addition to my recent commitment and my donations to fight systematic racism, I see this as a chance to educate a new audience and open up more opportunities for black people in racing.
ARCHIVE: Nascar supports Bubba Wallace after the hate attack (23/6)
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Nascar broke up behind Bubba Wallace.
Photo: TT News Agency