and Mo Farah says he is “very proud” of a new BBC documentary in which he revealed he was illegally brought into the UK under the name of another child.
The four-time Olympic champion said the film, titled The Real Mo Farah, allowed him to “learn more” about his past and journey to Britain†
Numerous high-profile figures, including politicians and celebrities, praised Farah’s “strength and courage” after the shocking revelations.
In the documentary, he said “the truth is that I am not who you think I am”, adding that he must tell his real story “at any cost”.
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 that I was born in Somaliland, north of Somalia, as Hussein Abdi Kahin. Despite what I have said in the past, my parents have never lived in the UK.
“When I was four my father was killed in the civil war, you know we were torn apart as a family.
“I was separated from my mother and I was illegally brought into the UK under the name of another child named Mohamed Farah.”
Sir Mo, the first British athlete to win four Olympic gold medals, said his children have motivated him to be honest 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 myself and tell what really happened.
I often think about that other Mohamed Farah, the boy whose place I took on that plane and I really hope he’s okay
“I kept it for so long, it was hard because you don’t want to face it and often my kids ask, ‘Dad, how come?’ And you always have an answer to everything, but you don’t have an answer to that.
“That’s the main reason for telling my story, because I want to feel normal and… not feel like you’re holding onto anything.”
Sir Mo’s wife Tania Farah said in the year leading up to their 2010 wedding that she realized “there were a lot of missing pieces to his story” but in the end “dragged him off with the interrogation” and told the truth.
During the documentary, Sir Mo said he thought he was going to Europe to live with relatives and recalled having to pass a British passport control under the guise of Mohamed at the age of nine.
He said: “I had all the contact details of my relative and once we got to her house the lady took it from me and right in front of me she tore them open and put it in the bin and in that moment I knew I was in the problems.”
The athlete traveled back to his childhood home in Hounslow and recalled “no great memories” where he was not treated as part of the family.
“If I wanted food in my mouth, my job was to take care of those kids, shower them, cook for them, clean for them, and she said, ‘If you ever want to see your family again, then don’t say anything. If you say something, they’ll take you with them.’
“So she said to me ‘you’re not talking about anything’ otherwise I would be in big trouble and I think for me the only thing I could do was (that was) in my control to walk away from this was get out and run,” he said.
Sir Mo eventually told his PE teacher Alan Watkinson the truth and moved in with his friend’s mother, Kinsi, who “took really good care of him” and he ended up staying for seven years.
It was Mr Watkinson who applied for Sir Mo’s British citizenship – which he described as a “long process” – and on 25 July 2000 Sir Mo was recognized as a British citizen.
Sir Mo, who named his son Hussein after his real identity, said: “I often think about that other Mohamed Farah, the boy whose place I took on that plane and I really hope he’s okay.
“Wherever he is, I carry his name and that could be a problem for me and my family right now.
“The most important thing for me is to just be able to say ‘Look, this is what happened’ and just be honest, I really do.”
In the documentary, a lawyer tells Sir Mo that although he was smuggled into the country as a small child and he has told the relevant authorities the truth, there is still a “real risk” that his British nationality could be taken away as it was obtained by misrepresentations.
But it is clear that the Home Office will not take any action against Sir Mo and that he will not be deprived of his citizenship.
The department’s guidelines make clear that it assumes that a child is not complicit in obtaining citizenship through deception, stating: “If the person was a child at the time the fraud, misrepresentation or concealment of material facts was committed (which led to citizenship), The practitioner must assume that he is not complicit in any cheating by his parent or guardian.”
Sir Mo said to his wife, ‘I don’t think I was ever willing to say anything – not because you want to lie, but because you’re protecting yourself.
“(I) think it’s only later that you realize it’s okay to get things out and say how it happened.
“But in this I think you know I was traded and that’s what it feels like.”
The documentary ends with Sir Mo speaking to the real Mohamed Farah whose identity he assumed when he entered the UK, before adding that Sir Mo will continue to go by the name he was given when he entered the UK.
After announcing the documentary, Sir Mo tweeted: “This documentary has allowed me to share what happened in my childhood and how I came to the UK.
“I’m really proud of it and hope you tune in to @BBC on Wednesday at 9pm to watch.”
Celebrities including Judi Love and David Baddiel were among those who expressed their support for the athlete and described him as a “hero” who has “made people proud to be British”.
Labor MP Yvette Cooper tweeted: “This is incredible courage.
“Unbelievable what @Mo_Farah has been through. Child trafficking is the worst crime.
“His courage and strength to speak out should be an urgent incentive for much stronger action to help all those affected and stop this terrible crime.”
Lisa Nandyshadow secretary of state for leveling, said the athlete’s decision to speak out could be a “game changer.”
“I’ve worked with children trafficked to the UK for ten years and everything about this is heartbreaking,” she wrote.
“But it could also be a game changer, so thank you @Mo_Farah for the courage to speak out.”
Comedian Baddiel shared a photo of the pair, writing: “Whether he’s Sir Mo Farah or Hussein Abdi Kahin, he’s a hero.”
Comedian and host Love added, “You just never know what someone is carrying.”
The Real Mo Farah will air on BBC iPlayer at 6am on 13th July and on BBC One at 9pm.