Sir Mo Farah revealed that he was trafficked to England as a child

Sir Mohamed Farah – Britain’s most successful runner – has revealed he was a victim of illegal trafficking when he was a child.

Key points:

• Farah was brought to England illegally by a woman she had never met when she was nine years old
• Olympians are forced to do housework and childcare and are not allowed to attend school for three years
• Since becoming a British citizen, Farah has become the country’s most successful male long-distance runner

In a documentary called “The Real Mo Farah” to be shown on the BBC this week, Farah says she was flown to England from Djibouti at the age of nine by a woman she had never met, was given a new name, and then forced to look after her. other family children.

“The truth is, I’m not what you think I am,” he said.

The long-distance runner has previously said he came to Britain from Somalia with his parents as refugees.

“The real story is that I was born in Somaliland, north of Somalia, as Hussein Abdi Kahin.

“Despite what I have said in the past, my parents never lived in England.

“When I was four years old, my father was killed in the civil war. As a family, we were divided. I was separated from my mother and I was brought to England, illegally, under the name of another child named Mohamed Farah.”

Farah said she was living with family in Djibouti when she was introduced to a woman she had never met, who then flew her to England under false pretenses.

She said she told him she would be staying with a relative in the UK before giving her a fake travel document that showed her photo next to someone else’s name.

When they arrived, Farah was taken to the woman’s home in Hounslow, west London.

“I had all the contact details for my relative and, as soon as we got to his house, the woman took it from me and, right in front of me, tore it up and threw it in the trash.

“At that moment, I knew I was in trouble.”

She said she was then forced to do housework and babysitting, “if I want food in my mouth”, and that the woman threatened not to let her see her family again if she spoke.

Mo Farah (center) said she spoke about her past to raise awareness of the issues of modern trafficking and forced labour.(Reuters: Lucy Nicholson)

He was not allowed to attend school for the first few years of his life in England, but was eventually enrolled in Feltham Community College when he was 12 years old. It was there that he met Alan Watkinson, a physical education teacher, who developed his athletic abilities.

Farah eventually told Watkinson her past, with the teacher contacting social services and helping her move to another Somali foster family.

“I still miss my real family but, since then, things have gotten better,” said Farah.

“I felt like a lot of things were lifted off my shoulders, and I felt like I was. That’s when Mo came out – the real Mo.”

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Watkinson also helped Farah apply for British citizenship under her current name, which was granted in July 2000.

Although technically acquired under a false name, no action will be taken by the UK Home Office to remove his nationality as children are not considered to be involved in obtaining citizenship by fraud according to government guidelines.

Farah has since become the most decorated athlete in British athletics with 10 global titles, including four Olympic gold medals and six World titles, making him the most successful British men’s distance runner in history.

He was awarded the CBE in 2013 and knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2017 for his services to athletics.

He said he wanted to share his story to highlight modern trade and slavery.

“I didn’t know there were so many people going through the exact same thing I went through. It just shows how lucky I am.”

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