Sir Mo Farah was brought to the UK illegally as a child and forced to work as a domestic servant, he has revealed.
The Olympic star has told the BBC he was given the name Mohamed Farah by those who flew him over from Djibouti. His real name is Hussein Abdi Kahin.
He was flown over from the east African country aged nine by a woman he had never met, and then made to look after another family's children, he says.
"For years I just kept blocking it out," the Team GB athlete says.
"But you can only block it out for so long."
The long-distance runner has previously said he came to the UK from Somalia with his parents as a refugee.
But in a documentary by the BBC and Red Bull Studios, seen by BBC News and airing on Wednesday, he says his parents have never been to the UK - his mother and two brothers live on their family farm in the breakaway state of Somaliland.
His father, Abdi, was killed by stray gunfire when Sir Mo was four years old, in civil violence in Somalia. Somaliland declared independence in 1991 but is not internationally recognised.
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Mo Farah: "I was trafficked"
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Mo Farah: "I was trafficked"
Sir Mo Farah reveals he was trafficked to the UK as a child
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Re: Mo Farah: "I was trafficked"
Cue Daily Mail starting a campaign to kick him out in 1....2.....3......
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Re: Mo Farah: "I was trafficked"
I’m glad this is definitely not a PR plot ahead of doping revelations….
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Re: Mo Farah: "I was trafficked"
It is a bit odd the negative reaction Mo Farah gets from some peopleIroning Board wrote: ↑Tue Jul 12, 2022 3:32 am I’m glad this is definitely not a PR plot ahead of doping revelations….
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Re: Mo Farah: "I was trafficked"
I'd imagine that the sort of single-minded determination that one needs to become the very best in the world in your field does make you a bit of prick at times.
Farah has achieved amazing things in his life. Doubly impressive when you see the start he had.
Farah has achieved amazing things in his life. Doubly impressive when you see the start he had.
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Re: Mo Farah: "I was trafficked"
You mean the athlete focusing on an upcoming race didn't give your mate a hug, don't you.