Guy Dresser | Oronne Communications - German-born Olympic canoe star Josefa Idem, who retired after the London Olympic Games, has been appointed to the Italian Cabinet as Minister for Sport and Equality. The five-time Olympic medalist went to eight separate Olympic Games and is arguably one of the most successful female kayakers ever.

Idem has been active in politics since 2001. She was a member of the regional government of Ravenna and had responsibility for the sports portfolio from 2001-2007. In February she was elected to the Italian Parliament and is now part of the government.

Idem originally raced for her native Germany but in 1992, two years after marrying her coach, Gugliemo Guerrini, she became became an Italian citizen.

If Idem thought canoeing was tough, politics is not likely to prove much easier. To say that politics is interesting in Italy is to radically understate the challenge faced by the country’s leaders. The country has had 61 governments since 1945, a factor that owes much to the design of the constitution and the desire at the end of the war to prevent the rise of another leader like Mussolini (if you’re interested, there’s a great piece on the Economist website here).

Idem isn’t the only person to have switched from paddling to politics – three-time Olympic canoe sprint champion Antonio Rossi sits in the regional government of Lombardy and four-time World Canoe Sprint Champion Oresti Perri is the mayor of Cremona.

Idem professed shock when asked about her reaction to her appointment and told her followers on Twitter that ‘my hands are trembling’.

Website Josefa Idem: www.josefaidem.info