Mo Farah

The Olympic star and Team GB here says his real name is not Mo Farah and he came here illegally after his dad was killed in the Somali war.

The important thing is for me to just be able to look this is what's happened and just being honest, really." The athlete travelled back to his childhood home in Hounslow recalling "not great memories" where he was not treated as part of the family. "Family means everything to me and you know, as a parent, you always teach your kids to be honest, but I feel like I've always had that private thing where I could never be me and tell what's really happened," he said. He said: "I had all the contact details for my relative and once we got to her house, the lady took it off me and right in front of me ripped them up and put it in the bin and at that moment I knew I was in trouble." "When I was four my dad was killed in the civil war, you know as a family we were torn apart. The real story is I was born in Somaliland, north of Somalia, as Hussein Abdi Kahin. Despite what I've said in the past, my parents never lived in the UK.

Sir Mo Farah reveals he was brought to UK illegally under another child's name in new BBC documentary.

In an astonishing moment in the documentary, Sir Mo meets up with the real Mohamed Farah, whose identity he took when he came to the UK. If you say anything, they will take you away.” ‘So she told you don’t talk about anything otherwise I was in big trouble and I guess for me the only things that I could do, in my control was to run away from this was get out and run,’ he said. ‘I had all the contact details for my relative and once we got to her house, the lady took it off me and right in front of me ripped them up and put it in the bin and at that moment I knew I was in trouble,’ he recalled. Sir Mo explained he was brought to the UK under another child’s name, and told he was going to live with relatives – only to be treated like a servant when he arrived. Sir Mo Farah has revealed he was trafficked into the UK as a child and treated like a servant by the family he initially lived with, as he confronts his trauma.

The four-time Olympic gold medallist revealed the truth about his childhood during a BBC documentary.

“I sent you away because of the war. Speaking on the phone, Sir Mo said: “I can’t believe that I’m speaking to you. Sir Mo added: “I will try my best to make that happen. When Sir Mo asked if he is allowed to come to the UK, Mr Farah, whose country was not disclosed, said: “I don’t think so. She said: “I tried to find out what is going on with you. Your name is a gift to you, our gift to you.”

The Olympic champion was born in Somaliland as Hussein Abdi Kahin, before he was brought to the UK illegally under the name Mohamed Farah.

Sir Mo said it felt “amazing” and it was a “relief” to speak to his namesake. Sir Mo added: “I will try my best to make that happen. “The real story is I was born in Somaliland, north of Somalia, as Hussein Abdi Kahin. Despite what I’ve said in the past, my parents never lived in the UK.” He said she “really took great care” of him and he ended up staying with her for seven years. I don’t know how everyone’s gonna see it,” he said. “I feel like something’s been lifted off of my shoulders. I left you both with your uncle.” I sent you off to your uncle in Djibouti so you could have something. “I lost contact with you. But during the documentary, Sir Mo said he recalled going through a UK passport check under the guise of Mohamed. “We were living in a place with nothing, no cattle, and destroyed land. “The truth is I’m not who you think I am,” he said in new BBC documentary, The Real Mo Farah, adding that he felt the need to tell his real story “whatever the cost”.

Sir Mo Farah has revealed he was "trafficked" into the UK illegally under the name of another child, saying he wants to tell his real story "whatever the ...

Speaking on the phone, Sir Mo said: "I can't believe that I'm speaking to you. If you say anything, they will take you away'." Sir Mo said he had "not great memories" of his childhood home in Hounslow, where he was told to work around the house if he wanted to eat. He said: "I had all the contact details for my relative and once we got to her house, the lady took it off me and right in front of me ripped them up and put it in the bin and at that moment I knew I was in trouble." "I was separated from my mother, and I was brought into the UK illegally under the name of another child called Mohamed Farah." Sir Mo Farah has revealed he was "trafficked" into the UK illegally under the name of another child, saying he wants to tell his real story "whatever the cost".

Farah, an accomplished distance runner, made the revelation in an upcoming documentary, saying it could put his citizenship at risk.

He was placed in the care of a friend’s mother. He successfully repeated as champion in both races four years later at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, winning gold despite a dramatic fall halfway through the 10,000. In the documentary, Farah said he was separated from family after his father was killed during Somalia’s civil war. “And she said, ‘If you ever want to see your family again, don’t say anything. The lawyer, Alan Briddock, said that Farah was not likely to lose his citizenship because he was trafficked as a child and shared his story with the relevant authorities. He said he was putting his citizenship at risk by sharing his story, and spoke to a lawyer in the film about what the disclosure could mean for his future.

The four-time Olympic gold medallist revealed the truth about his childhood during a BBC documentary.

“I sent you away because of the war. Speaking on the phone, Sir Mo said: “I can’t believe that I’m speaking to you. Sir Mo added: “I will try my best to make that happen. When Sir Mo asked if he is allowed to come to the UK, Mr Farah, whose country was not disclosed, said: “I don’t think so. Your name is a gift to you, our gift to you.” She said: “I tried to find out what is going on with you.

The four-time Olympic champion made the confession in a BBC documentary, adding: 'The real story is I was born in Somaliland as Hussein Abdi Kahin'

However Farah says that when he arrived in the UK he faced a very different reality. “When I was four my dad was killed in the civil war, you know as a family we were torn apart,” he said. “No action whatsoever will be taken against Sir Mo and to suggest otherwise is wrong,” a spokesperson said. “Most people know me as Mo Farah, but it’s not my name or it’s not the reality,” he says. Farah said he recalled a woman visiting the house several times to observe him. When he arrived in Britain Farah claimed he lived with a married couple who treated him badly.

Sir Mo Farah served up some of the most indelible images of British sporting success, not least when he stormed to Olympic 10,000 metres gold at London 2012 to round off an historic 'Super Saturday'. Yet even his athletics heroics pale compared to the ...

Yet it would prove only the start of his incredible story. “I’m not leaving the Nike Oregon Project and Alberto Salazar because of the doping allegations,” Farah said at the time. “After the 10k my legs were a bit tired, and I don’t know how I recovered.

The four-time Olympic champion said the film, titled The Real Mo Farah, enabled him to 'address and learn more' about his journey to Britain.

Following the announcement of the documentary, Sir Mo tweeted: “Through this documentary I have been able to address and learn more about what happened in my childhood and how I came to the UK. In the documentary, a barrister tells Sir Mo that although he was trafficked into the country as a small child and he told the relevant authorities the truth, there is still a “real risk” his British nationality could be taken away as it was obtained by misrepresentations. “So she told (me) ‘you don’t talk about anything’ otherwise I was in big trouble and I guess for me the only things that I could do, (that was) in my control was to run away from this was get out and run,” he said. If you say anything, they will take you away.’ He said: “I had all the contact details for my relative and once we got to her house, the lady took it off me and right in front of me ripped them up and put it in the bin and at that moment I knew I was in trouble.” Sir Mo’s wife Tania Farah said in the year leading up to their 2010 wedding she realised “there was lots of missing pieces to his story” but she eventually “wore him down with the questioning” and he told the truth.

The four-time Olympic champion said he is ready to tell the truth 'whatever the cost' about his horrifying childhood experience in his new documentary, The Real ...

In an astonishing moment in the documentary, Sir Mo meets up with the real Mohamed Farah, whose identity he took when he came to the UK. If you say anything, they will take you away.” ‘So she told you don’t talk about anything otherwise I was in big trouble and I guess for me the only things that I could do, in my control was to run away from this was get out and run,’ he said. ‘I had all the contact details for my relative and once we got to her house, the lady took it off me and right in front of me ripped them up and put it in the bin and at that moment I knew I was in trouble,’ he recalled. Sir Mo explained he was brought to the UK under another child’s name, and told he was going to live with relatives – only to be treated like a servant when he arrived. Sir Mo Farah has revealed he was trafficked into the UK as a child and treated like a servant by the family he initially lived with, as he confronts his trauma.

Farah, an accomplished distance runner, made the revelation in an upcoming documentary, saying it could put his citizenship at risk.

He was placed in the care of a friend’s mother. He successfully repeated as champion in both races four years later at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, winning gold despite a dramatic fall halfway through the 10,000. In the documentary, Farah said he was separated from family after his father was killed during Somalia’s civil war. “And she said, ‘If you ever want to see your family again, don’t say anything. The lawyer, Alan Briddock, said that Farah was not likely to lose his citizenship because he was trafficked as a child and shared his story with the relevant authorities. He said he was putting his citizenship at risk by sharing his story, and spoke to a lawyer in the film about what the disclosure could mean for his future.

The 39-year-old, whose real name is Hussein Abdi Kahin, arrived under the guise of Mohamed Farah after being flown over by a woman he had never met. His parents ...

Tokyo 2020 Tokyo 2020 Tokyo 2020

Sir Mo Farah said “the truth is I'm not who you think I am,” adding he needs to tell his real story “whatever the cost”.

In the documentary, a barrister tells Sir Mo that although he was trafficked into the country as a small child and he told the relevant authorities the truth, there is still a “real risk” his British nationality could be taken away as it was obtained by misrepresentations. Child trafficking is the worst of crimes. If you say anything, they will take you away.’ “So she told (me) ‘you don’t talk about anything’ otherwise I was in big trouble and I guess for me the only things that I could do, (that was) in my control was to run away from this was get out and run,” he said. This is incredible bravery. He said: “I had all the contact details for my relative and once we got to her house, the lady took it off me and right in front of me ripped them up and put it in the bin and at that moment I knew I was in trouble.”

Olympic great Mo Farah was illegally trafficked to Britain at the age of nine from Djibouti and forced to work as a child servant, he has revealed, ...

“He underlines the human reality at the heart of so many stories like his,” it added. “The only thing I could do to get away from this (situation) was to get out and run,” he says. “The only language he seemed to understand was the language of PE and sport,” says Watkinson. Farah says he was forced to do housework and childcare “if I wanted food in my mouth”, and was told: “If you ever want to see your family again, don’t say anything.” The woman who flew with him to the UK told him he was being taken to live with relatives and to say his name was Mohamed as she had fake travel documents that showed his photo next to the name “Mohamed Farah”. When he arrived in the UK, Farah says the woman who accompanied him took a piece of paper from him that had his relatives’ contact details and “ripped it up and put it in the bin.

The four-time Olympic champion said the film, titled The Real Mo Farah, enabled him to 'address and learn more' about his journey to Britain.

Following the announcement of the documentary, Sir Mo tweeted: “Through this documentary I have been able to address and learn more about what happened in my childhood and how I came to the UK. In the documentary, a barrister tells Sir Mo that although he was trafficked into the country as a small child and he told the relevant authorities the truth, there is still a “real risk” his British nationality could be taken away as it was obtained by misrepresentations. “So she told (me) ‘you don’t talk about anything’ otherwise I was in big trouble and I guess for me the only things that I could do, (that was) in my control was to run away from this was get out and run,” he said. If you say anything, they will take you away.’ He said: “I had all the contact details for my relative and once we got to her house, the lady took it off me and right in front of me ripped them up and put it in the bin and at that moment I knew I was in trouble.” Sir Mo’s wife Tania Farah said in the year leading up to their 2010 wedding she realised “there was lots of missing pieces to his story” but she eventually “wore him down with the questioning” and he told the truth.

The Home Office have stated 'no action' will be taken against Sir Mo Farah after he revealed he is an illegal immigrant who was smuggled into the UK aged ...

“At that moment I knew I was in trouble," Mo says. His P.E teacher Alan Watkinson set about getting him British citizenship and shows Mo the box of documents he has kept since then. In the one-off special, Mo says he is prepared to share his real identity "whatever the cost" after he was brought to the UK under a false identity to work as a servant.

The Olympic champion was forced to work as a domestic servant from the age of nine.

In the documentary, a barrister tells Sir Mo that although he was trafficked into the country as a small child and he told the relevant authorities the truth, there is still a “real risk” his British nationality could be taken away as it was obtained by misrepresentations. If you say anything, they will take you away.’ He said: “I had all the contact details for my relative and once we got to her house, the lady took it off me and right in front of me ripped them up and put it in the bin and at that moment I knew I was in trouble.” Sir Mo’s wife Tania Farah said in the year leading up to their 2010 wedding she realised “there was lots of missing pieces to his story” but she eventually “wore him down with the questioning” and he told the truth. The father-of-four said that he needs to tell his real story “whatever the cost” in the documentary titled The Real Mo Farah. “I was separated from my mother, and I was brought into the UK illegally under the name of another child called Mohamed Farah.”

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In his autobiography, he wrote: “I got off the aircraft and looked around. He said: “I feel like something’s been lifted off my shoulders. I don’t know how everyone’s gonna see it.” Sir Mo also gained a step daughter named Rihanna from the relationship. He ended up staying with them for seven years. If you say anything, they will take you away”. After his athletic talents were recognised by philanthropist Eddie Kulukundis, Sir Mo had his legal fees paid for to complete his naturalisation as a British citizen that allowed him to travel to competitions without issues. In July 2000, he was granted British citizenship under the name Mohamed Farah. But as far as I knew, Hassan falling ill was a temporary hitch. That same year, Sir Mo began training at St Mary’s University in Twickenham. Sir Mo was then later brought to the UK when he was nine with a woman he didn’t know, with the understanding that he was going to stay with a relative. Some of his accolades include:

The gold medallist has spoken publicly for first time about being brought to UK and forced to work as a child servant.

He was recognised as a UK citizen in 2000. “The truth is I’m not who you think I am,” Farah said in the BBC TV documentary. His only escape, he said, was athletics. He said he thought he was going to go to Europe to live with relatives, but when he arrived in the UK, the woman who accompanied him took a piece of paper from him that had his relatives’ contact details and “ripped it up and put it in the bin”. In the documentary – The Real Mo Farah – the star athlete instead revealed that his father had been killed in Somalia’s civil war and that he had been separated from his mother before coming to the UK. Instead, the 39-year-old said he had been given the name Hussein Abdi Kahin when he was born in Somaliland. He said he was trafficked to the UK by an unknown woman as a child, forced to assume the identity of an unknown boy to him named Mohamed Farah, and work as a servant.

Olympic champion illegally trafficked to UK and forced into domestic servitude as a child.

It was at this time he was given fake travel documents with the name Mohamed Farah, taken from another child. From there he was flown to the UK by a woman he had never met and was not related to. Mo Farah has revealed he was illegally trafficked to the UK as a child, forced to change his name and work as a domestic servant.

Olympian hailed as inspirational figure after revealing he was trafficked and forced into domestic servitude.

But he was still the cheeky chap. He knocked on the commentator’s door, and I opened the door and he said: ‘Don’t you want to interview me?’, and I said: ‘Well, you only finished 17th, and we don’t normally interview the guy who’s finished 17th.’” “I’ve known him for more than 20 years, since he was a young kid.

Posted by Athletics Weekly | Jul 12, 2022 | 0. Multiple Olympic and world champion reveals in BBC documentary that he was trafficked under a false name as a ...

In the programme he adds: “When I was four my dad was killed in the civil war, you know as a family we were torn apart. “Most people know me as Mo Farah, but it’s not my name or it’s not the reality,” he says. “No action whatsoever will be taken against Sir Mo and to suggest otherwise is wrong,” said a statement.

Olympic champion Mo Farah opened up on being trafficked to the UK illegally and how his PE teacher played a significant role on his journey to become a long ...

While the athlete was stunned to learn in the documentary he could potentially lose his British citizenship, the Home Office has reassured Sir Mo and fans as they told Mirror Online on Tuesday 'no action' would be taken. In a grand gesture, Alan helped Mo secure British citizenship and showed Mo the box of documents he has kept since then. Mo was then brought to the UK instead of the man whose real name is Mohamed Farah, who still lives in Somalia and has never touched British shores.

Sir Mo Farah said “the truth is I'm not who you think I am,” adding he needs to tell his real story “whatever the cost”.

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"Most people know me as Mo Farah, but it's not my name — or, it's not the reality," Olympic gold medalist Mo Farah said, in a clip from an upcoming ...

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London Mayor Sadiq Khan described Sir Mo as a 'truly great Briton' after the Olympic champion revealed he was trafficked into the UK as a child.

Asked if the Home Office would be taking any action against Sir Mo, he said: “Absolutely not. Speaking to his wife in the documentary, Sir Mo said: “I don’t think I was ever ready to say anything – not because you want to lie, but because you’re protecting yourself. But it is understood the Home Office will not be taking any action against Sir Mo and he will not be deprived of his citizenship. Speaking in the documentary, he revealed “the truth is I’m not who you think I am,” adding he needs to tell his real story “whatever the cost”. Following the shock announcement, Sir Mo said he is “really proud” of the documentary, which enabled him to “address and learn more” about his past and his journey to Britain. Figures from the world of politics have praised Sir Mo Farah as “truly inspirational” and a “great Briton” after he revealed he was trafficked into the UK as a child.

With victories in London 2012 and Rio 2016, Sir Mo Farah CBE is one of the UK's greatest living athletes.

For context, his personal best distance covered in one hour works out at just over 13.2 miles. He was separated from his mother and made the journey under the name of Mohamed Farah, assumed from another child. Legendary Olympian Sir Mo Farah is known worldwide for his speed and athleticism.