Advertisement
Mo Farah (file pic). Alamy Stock Photo

Sir Mo Farah: 'The truth is I’m not who you think I am'

The four-time Olympic champion has revealed that he was brought into the UK illegally under the name of another child.

SIR MO FARAH has revealed in a BBC documentary that he was brought into the UK illegally under the name of another child.

The four-time Olympic champion 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 titled The Real Mo Farah.

The father-of-four, 39, said: “Most people know me as Mo Farah, but it’s not my name or it’s not the reality.

“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.

“When I was four my dad was killed in the civil war, you know as a family we were torn apart.

“I was separated from my mother, and I was brought into the UK illegally under the name of another child called Mohamed Farah.”

Farah, who became the first British track and field athlete to win four Olympic gold medals, said his children have motivated him to be truthful about his past.

“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.

“I’ve been keeping it for so long, it’s been difficult because you don’t want to face it and often my kids ask questions, ‘Dad, how come this?’ And you’ve always got an answer for everything, but you haven’t got an answer for that.

“That’s the main reason in telling my story because I want to feel normal and… don’t feel like you’re holding on to something.”

Farah’s wife Tania 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.

During the documentary, Farah said he thought he was going to Europe to live with relatives and recalled going through a UK passport check under the guise of Mohamed at the age of nine.

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.”

The athlete travelled back to his childhood home in Hounslow recalling “not great memories” where he was not treated as part of the family.

He said: “If I wanted food in my mouth my job was to look after those kids, shower them, cook for them, clean for them, and she said, ‘If you ever want to see your family again, don’t say anything. 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.”

Farah eventually told his PE teacher Alan Watkinson the truth and moved to live with his friend’s mum, Kinsi, who “really took great care” of him and he ended up staying for seven years.

It was Watkinson who applied for Farah’s British citizenship which he described as a “long process” and on 25 July, 2000 Farah was recognised as a British Citizen.

Farah, who named his son Hussein after his real name, said: “I often think about the other Mohamed Farah, the boy whose place I took on that plane and I really hope he’s OK.

“Wherever he is, I carry his name and that could cause problems now for me and my family.

“The important thing is for me to just be able to look, this is what’s happened and just being honest, really.”

In the documentary, a barrister tells Farah 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.

But it is understood the Home Office will not be taking any action against Farah and he will not be deprived of his citizenship.

The department’s guidance makes clear it assumes a child is not complicit in gaining citizenship by deception, stating: “If the person was a child at the time the fraud, false representation or concealment of material fact was perpetrated (that led to citizenship), the caseworker should assume that they were not complicit in any deception by their parent or guardian.”

Speaking to his wife, Farah said: “I don’t think I was ever ready to say anything, not because you want to lie, but because you’re protecting yourself.

“(I) think you only realise later on down the line it’s OK to let things out and say how it happened.

“But in this, I think you know I was trafficked and that’s what it feels like.”

The documentary ends with Farah speaking to the real Mohamed Farah, whose identity he took entering the UK, before adding Farah will continue to go by the name he was given when he entered the UK.

The Real Mo Farah will air at 6am on BBC iPlayer and 9pm on BBC One on 13 July.

Close
7 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tom O'Connor
    Favourite Tom O'Connor
    Report
    Sep 22nd 2015, 6:15 PM

    Wow the FA actually showing a bit of backbone and rescinding a red card! If there’s any justice Costa will get a ban and Mike Dean get a warning for a shocking performance, playing up to the big game as usual

    209
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Steve Kinsey
    Favourite Steve Kinsey
    Report
    Sep 22nd 2015, 8:52 PM

    Costa did get a ban.

    75
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tom O'Connor
    Favourite Tom O'Connor
    Report
    Sep 22nd 2015, 11:40 PM

    My comment was before the ban was announced. Delighted for the tramp

    29
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute luke frankus
    Favourite luke frankus
    Report
    Sep 22nd 2015, 5:41 PM

    Give Costa the 3 match ban instead! Filthy animal

    185
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Scorpionvenomm
    Favourite Scorpionvenomm
    Report
    Sep 22nd 2015, 7:44 PM

    Costa got a 3 match ban

    113
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute luke frankus
    Favourite luke frankus
    Report
    Sep 22nd 2015, 8:10 PM

    Just saw that now. Justice!!

    61
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tony Mcgrath
    Favourite Tony Mcgrath
    Report
    Sep 22nd 2015, 6:46 PM

    costa nearly as bad as philly mc mahon

    140
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Cathal Shannon
    Favourite Cathal Shannon
    Report
    Sep 22nd 2015, 7:54 PM

    Nearly….. But , nice boys get nice girls nice boys don’t win all Ireland’s

    35
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute lenny
    Favourite lenny
    Report
    Sep 22nd 2015, 5:47 PM

    any chance you could show a clip of the incident? never saw it

    86
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute luke frankus
    Favourite luke frankus
    Report
    Sep 22nd 2015, 5:47 PM

    Youtube.

    75
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute lenny
    Favourite lenny
    Report
    Sep 22nd 2015, 9:55 PM

    I never commented that

    10
    See 2 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute lenny
    Favourite lenny
    Report
    Sep 22nd 2015, 9:56 PM

    I got fraped lads

    10
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute colin
    Favourite colin
    Report
    Sep 22nd 2015, 10:38 PM
    15
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Joey English
    Favourite Joey English
    Report
    Sep 22nd 2015, 7:05 PM

    Should they not remove the charge for failing to leave the pitch seeing as they justified that hos argument at the time was correct?

    50
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Unknown
    Favourite Unknown
    Report
    Sep 22nd 2015, 8:12 PM

    Feck all this lads! Eva Carneiro just left Chelsea and is looking for a new job

    47
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Senan Hogan O Brien
    Favourite Senan Hogan O Brien
    Report
    Sep 22nd 2015, 8:36 PM

    I’d give her a job.

    65
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dave Meagher
    Favourite Dave Meagher
    Report
    Sep 22nd 2015, 11:47 PM

    Or would it be roles reversed if ya get my meaning….

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dave O Keeffe
    Favourite Dave O Keeffe
    Report
    Sep 22nd 2015, 6:27 PM

    in fairness though he did commit two yellow card offenses. Costa was a disgrace but Gabriel chose to get involved in the first place

    42
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ian Durham
    Favourite Ian Durham
    Report
    Sep 22nd 2015, 7:22 PM

    It’s all a bit late Chelsea get the win and Wenger blames everyone else for Arsenal choking in another big game.

    29
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dave Murray
    Favourite Dave Murray
    Report
    Sep 22nd 2015, 9:19 PM

    Mourinho’s next press conference should be interesting.

    27
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Danno
    Favourite Danno
    Report
    Sep 22nd 2015, 7:03 PM

    Why did they charge him them ?

    22
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Michael Leahy
    Favourite Michael Leahy
    Report
    Sep 22nd 2015, 8:44 PM

    premier league now full of pussies. thought central defenders were meant to e big hard men, not going crying to the media or the fa coz a striker bullied them

    18
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dave O Keeffe
    Favourite Dave O Keeffe
    Report
    Sep 23rd 2015, 12:26 AM

    The very striker you’re referring to went crying and whinging to the referee at every opportunity

    12
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Michael Leahy
    Favourite Michael Leahy
    Report
    Sep 23rd 2015, 12:29 AM

    that’s why I’m saying they’re all pussies

    2
    See 1 more reply ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dave O Keeffe
    Favourite Dave O Keeffe
    Report
    Sep 23rd 2015, 12:39 AM

    also to be fair, I haven’t heard Koscielny or Gabriel say anything to the media. The referee is the one that referred it to the FA.

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Steve Kinsey
    Favourite Steve Kinsey
    Report
    Sep 22nd 2015, 8:53 PM

    Mourinho’s gonna need a doctor. Oh…

    15
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Finbarr butler
    Favourite Finbarr butler
    Report
    Sep 22nd 2015, 9:19 PM

    Fareplay

    10
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dave O Keeffe
    Favourite Dave O Keeffe
    Report
    Sep 22nd 2015, 8:12 PM

    I can see the potential for a lengthy ban for Costa here. they could total up every incident as a separate red card offense

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute luke frankus
    Favourite luke frankus
    Report
    Sep 22nd 2015, 8:19 PM

    Even though he’s a p rick I wouldn’t agree with that. They’d have to do it to everyone else if that was the case.

    18
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dave O Keeffe
    Favourite Dave O Keeffe
    Report
    Sep 22nd 2015, 8:28 PM

    Oh I definitely don’t think it would be fair bit there was a lot that the ref didn’t see and that’s their specific role

    8
    See 2 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute luke frankus
    Favourite luke frankus
    Report
    Sep 22nd 2015, 8:36 PM

    Do you even think about half the bulls hit that comes out your mouth??

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dave O Keeffe
    Favourite Dave O Keeffe
    Report
    Sep 23rd 2015, 12:22 AM

    to be clear I was referring to the Koscielny incident, the Gabriel incident and the Chambers incident. All of which were not seen properly by the ref. That’s the exact requirement for the FA to look into it. I didn’t say I wanted it to be done that way or that it would be fair. Can’t quite see how that got you so riled up.

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dave Meagher
    Favourite Dave Meagher
    Report
    Sep 22nd 2015, 11:45 PM

    “Brazilian striker” haha nice dig.

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dave O Keeffe
    Favourite Dave O Keeffe
    Report
    Sep 23rd 2015, 12:27 AM

    to be fair, he’s not Spanish

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Farleysrusk
    Favourite Farleysrusk
    Report
    Sep 22nd 2015, 8:20 PM

    Mourinho tomorrow…….conspiracy against Chelsea, they are all out to get him………blah blah

    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

Leave a commentcancel