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October 15, 2021
Multi-Olympic Gold Medallist and World Champion, popular broadcaster and Beyond Sport Ambassador, Michael Johnson has launched a new eight-part original podcast in partnership with Audible, a world leader in spoken-word entertainment. Defiance with Michael Johnson will explore his personal journey through a history of protest in sport and its importance in driving societal change.
In the Audible Original series, produced by Folding Pocket in conjunction with thinkBeyond Talent Ventures, Michael uncovers the roots of sporting protest by embarking on a 100-year journey to learn about the athletes, both before and after him, who have attempted to foster systemic change through their profiles.
He learns the detailed stories of sportspeople from Jesse Owens and Rose Robinson, through to Colin Kaepernick and Gwen Berry, who’ve attempted to alter society for the greater good. In addition, the series features exclusive interviews with sporting trailblazers and commentators, including Cathy Freeman, Renee Montgomery, Ellis Genge, John Amaechi, Nate Boyer, Francois Pienaar and Toni-Smith Thompson.
“Interviewing the incredible sportsmen and women featured in this series has been one of the privileges of my life. They are the icons of sport, not just for what they have achieved on the field of play, but for their bravery in standing up for what is right and sacrificing so much often to the detriment of their achievement and on occasions completely destroying their careers,” stated Johnson.
As an athlete, Johnson wasn’t known for his activism. In an interview with The Guardian, he pinpoints Ahmaud Arbery, a Black American man who was killed by three white men, whilst simply jogging in Georgia in February 2020 as a catalyst for him becoming more vocal about social injustices.
“This was the first time I decided to really use my social media platform to speak out against that sort of issue and to be in support of him and his family,” he told The Guardian. “But I think it’s just a different situation now where there are so many opportunities to use your platform that you have. Whereas when I was an athlete with no social media, it didn’t matter whether it was trying to achieve any sort of justice or just trying to build a brand, we had to rely on traditional media which is much more difficult.”
In Defiance, Johnson reflects on the takeaways and gradually assesses the era in which he reached the pinnacle of his sport and questions what he might do if he was an athlete in today’s time of heightened political activism.
“Athletes have long been vocal and expressive leaders at the forefront of change, and no more so than now as our society rapidly evolves. I hope listeners will tune in and be inspired as I have to take part in these conversations and to honour those who have had the courage to speak the truth to power,” closed Johnson.
Defiance with Michael Johnson is available for download exclusively from www.audible.uk/defiance.
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