The Metropolitan Police has started an investigation into Sir Mo Farah’s revelation that he was trafficked to the UK illegally under the name of another child.
The four-time Olympic champion, 39, revealed in a BBC documentary how he was brought to Britain from Somalia illegally after his father was killed in the civil war.
The father of four said he was born Hussein Abdi Kahin and brought to the UK with a woman and her children under the name of another boy, called Mohamed Farah.
The Met said: “We are aware of reports in the media concerning Sir Mo Farah. No reports have been made to the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) at this time.”
Specialist officers have opened an investigation and are “assessing the available information”, the force said.
In the documentary, broadcast on Wednesday, Sir Mo said “the truth is I’m not who you think I am” as he spoke of the traumatic events of his childhood after leaving war-torn Somaliland in east Africa.
Sir Mo said he was helped to obtain UK citizenship in 2000 by his school PE teacher Alan Watkinson while still using the name Mohamed Farah.
In the documentary he said he thought he was going to Europe to live with relatives and recalled going through a UK passport check under the guise of Mohamed at the age of nine.
The athlete said he had “not great memories” of his childhood home in Hounslow, where he was told to work around the house if he wanted to eat.
He said if he wanted food he had to look after children, shower them, cook and clean.
After telling Mr Watkinson the truth, he moved and lived with his friend’s mother, who took good care of him.
Sir Mo was warned by a barrister that although he was trafficked into the country as a small child and told authorities the truth, there was a “real risk” that his British nationality could be taken away.
However, the Home Office has said “no action whatsoever” will be taken against him.
Sir Mo, who became the first British track and field athlete to win four Olympic gold medals, said his children have motivated him to be truthful about his past.
Ahead of the broadcast, Sir Mo wrote on Instagram that he did the documentary for his family “so they could understand more about the experiences that led us to becoming the family we are today.” –Skysports
