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Vietnamese professional athlete and LGBTQ activist Amazin LeThi has become the latest personality to join the ABB FIA Formula E Championship’s Open Talent Call for Presenters judging panel, alongside British TV and radio presenter Maya Jama and German racing driver and influencer Daniel Abt.
Since retiring from her career as a weightlifter, Amazin has sought to harness sport’s power for change, dismantling prejudices to progress in the industry and focusing on training to take part in competitive shooting as well as her role as an inclusivity advisor including to the UK government on Tokyo 2021 and Beijing 2022.
Having left Vietnam at an early age, Amazin moved to Australia as a child, turning to sport as a means of standing up to bullies. She overcame a period of homelessness through her teens and a nervous breakdown to come out the other side brimming with mental and physical fortitude thanks to her beliefs and determination focussing on bodybuilding.
Throughout her career, she has channelled her considerable energies into activism with the launch of the Amazin LeThi Foundation in 2021 and its mission to campaign and advocate for LGBTQ equality through sports and support – as well as helping LGBTQ youth who are going through difficulties of their own.
“I'm excited to be working with Formula E acknowledging, developing and supporting young, rising talent,” said Amazin. “For the contestants this will be an amazing opportunity to be part of the motorsports community and be recognised for their talents with the goal of becoming a presenter or commentator. As their first Asian and LGBTQ official judge this demonstrates Formula E’s commitment to diversity and inclusion within the sport.”
She is an Athlete Ally and Stonewall ambassador and has also collaborated with GLAAD, the United Nations and the LGBTQ institute. Amazin’s story was included in the ‘It Gets Better’ campaign and the first White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Asian anti-bullying campaign 'Act to Change'.
Robbie de Santos, Head of Communications and Campaigns at Stonewall said: “We’re delighted that Amazin LeThi has been selected as an official judge for Formula E’s Talent Call. As a Stonewall Sport Champion, Amazin has been an incredible advocate for diversity and inclusion across sport, as well as highlighting the barriers she’s experienced as one of the few openly LGBT East Asian people in elite sports. We know that she will be a fantastic and supportive judge, helping to make sure that sport can be everyone’s game.”
Amazin is the third and final member of the official jury for the Open Talent Call, with the search on for top talent between the ages of 18 and 24. Shortlisting is underway to find 15 successful applicants who’ll be introduced across Formula E channels shortly.
Daniel, Maya and Amazin will be tasked with narrowing those 15 shortlisted entrants selected from the Open Talent Call down to four semi-finalists who will be assigned experienced mentors and receive professional media training. The four finalists will then be invited to attend Formula E pre-season testing to take on a series of on-screen challenges.
One lucky winner will earn themselves the ultimate gig to host Formula E alongside our existing on-air and online presenter line-up at the opening race of Season 7 scheduled to take place in Santiago, Chile on 16 January 2021.
#PositivelyCharged
Formula E was founded with a bigger purpose: to counteract the devastating effects of climate change by accelerating the development and adoption of electric vehicles.
The recent launch of Formula E’s #PositivelyCharged manifesto, as part of the FIA’s #PurposeDriven initiative, further reasserted our commitment to creating better futures through racing.
The Open Talent Call for Presenters is the first activity in our Positive Futures programme, which focuses on democratising opportunities for young, diverse talent both on and off the track.