Sir Mo Farah has disclosed that he was illegally trafficked into Britain at the age of nine under a false identity and forced into domestic servitude. The four-time Olympic champion, previously believed to have moved to the UK to join his father, now says his real name is Hussein Abdi Kahin and that he was brought to London by a stranger.
In a new BBC documentary, 'The Real Mo Farah', the 39-year-old recounts how his mother sent him and his twin brother to Djibouti after their father was killed in the civil war. A woman later took him to Europe, telling him he would be renamed Mohamed Farah. Upon arrival in the UK, his contact details were destroyed, and he was forced to work for a couple who treated him poorly.
Farah credits his PE teacher, Alan Watkinson, with rescuing him and helping him apply for British citizenship under the assumed name. He also acknowledges that the name Mohamed Farah was stolen from another child to create a fake passport. The Home Office has confirmed that no action will be taken against him over his immigration status.
Farah said his children motivated him to tell the truth, stating, 'Family means everything to me... I feel like I’ve always had that private thing where I could never be me.' His wife, Tania, revealed she suspected inconsistencies in his story before their wedding and eventually persuaded him to reveal the truth. The documentary concludes with Farah meeting the real Mohamed Farah, though he will continue to use the name he was given upon entering the UK.
