In England, the echoes of the Olympic champion athlete Mo Farah’s statement to the BBC that she was illegally smuggled from Somalia as a child and brought to the country, forced to work as a maid and babysitter continues.
The British Home Office has announced that no action will be taken regarding Farah’s British citizenship, which she received at a young age.
Farah said that the Ministry’s statement made him “relaxed”, adding that “I am happy to share my experiences and that has made me the man I am today.”
‘This is my country’
Speaking on the BBC Radio Today programme, Farah said, “This is my country. If it weren’t for my PE teacher Alan and the people who supported me throughout my childhood, then maybe I wouldn’t have the courage to do this.”
“There are many people I owe my life to, especially my wife, who has been so supportive throughout my career and gave me the strength to come and talk about it, who said it was okay to do it,” Farah said.
Noting that he received messages of support from all over the world, Farah said the reaction to what he told was “incredible”.
“This has always been my story. I wasn’t comfortable talking about it even with my family. I couldn’t make it public. It took me a long time to get to this point, but I’m glad I made this documentary to tell people what really went through my childhood as a kid…”
Mo Farah’s physical education teacher, Alan Watkinson, applied to the social services agency and helped get Farah adopted by another Somali family. Watkinson also supported Farah’s application for British citizenship and her participation in international competitions.
Farah, on the other hand, revealed that his real name is Hussein Abdi Kahin in a documentary prepared by the BBC and Red Bull Studios and released recently.
Farah said that those who abducted her to England had prepared forged documents and that her name was changed in the documents.
‘No action will be taken against British citizens’
Persons who acquire British citizenship through fraudulent use in the UK can be stripped of their citizenship.
However, an Interior Ministry official told the BBC that Mo Farah’s citizenship would not be acted upon, as the children were presumed not complicit when their citizenship was acquired through perjury or forgery.
British police are assessing the available information about Farah’s abduction. There is no report prepared on this subject.
Mo Farah’s wife Tania, on Farah’s story, said, “First I felt sorry for him. I immediately pictured 9-year-old Mo. His helpless and vulnerable state… Then I was equally angry at the people who did all this to him.” said.
Tania Farah said, “The documentary helped my wife deal with the pain she went through. It must be a good thing. It’s a form of therapy.”
Mo Farah has won four Olympic gold medals.
The Queen of England, Elizabeth II, gave Farah the title of knight.