sportskeeda
Sir Mo Farah is said to be facing pressure for money from the person whose name he adopted.
The Olympic champion, now 41, offered aid to the other Mo after a television show in 2022, but it appears that the situation has deteriorated into emotional manipulation.
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A source remarked: “It’s truly unfortunate.”
It is reported that Sir Mo had to change his phone number due to “constant pleas” for money from his namesake.
The four-time Olympic gold medallist assumed the name Mo Farah when he was illegally trafficked to the UK at just nine years old.
Sir Mo pledged to maintain contact and has transferred as much as £5,000 to the other Mo.
READ MORE ON SIR MO FARAH
However, the other Mo, who is 40, along with around ten others, has reportedly persistently asked him for financial help after obtaining the long-distance runner’s mobile number.
Reports indicate Sir Mo perceives this as emotional manipulation and has not been in contact with his namesake in several months.
A source added: “Sir Mo feels harassed and pursued.”
“He decided it was best to withdraw. While he didn’t want to create a scene, he thought it prudent to cut ties.”
“He has even had to change his phone number. It’s unfair that Sir Mo is in this situation.”
“He sees himself as a victim, feels drained, and finds this incredibly unfortunate.”
I have been living a lie… my real name is not Mo Farah and I came here illegally after my father was killed in the Somali war
The two met on the BBC’s The Real Mo Farah, where Sir Mo revealed he was trafficked to the UK after losing his father during Somalia’s civil strife, and his mother sent him and his twin brother, Hassan, to stay with relatives.
The athlete disclosed that his actual name is Hussein Abdi Kahin and that he took the name “Mo Farah” from a child’s passport used to bring him to Heathrow in 1993.
He has had to change his phone number. It’s unfair that Sir Mo has to deal with this. He feels he is the victim
Source close to Sir Mo
Later in the program, Sir Mo was able to find his namesake in Istanbul, Turkey, where the latter was pursuing his studies.
However, the real Mo claims that they have not been in touch since December 2023 and blames Sir Mo for not fulfilling a promise to help him secure a visa.
Speaking from his home in Mogadishu, Somalia, the other Mo stated: “Mo got what he needed and now doesn’t care if I live or die. He made many promises, including that he would cease using my name and restore my identity.”
“He said he wanted to stop living a lie, but he continues to do so.”
“He indicated he would help me get a tourist visa to visit my mother in England, but I’ve been waiting for two years for any action.”
Sir Mo has become renowned as the finest long-distance runner in the world, winning gold medals at the London 2012 and Rio 2016, and has four children with his wife, Tania. In contrast, his namesake’s life has been marked by difficulties.
The other Mo shared: “My mother abandoned me, and I was left with her elder sister Amina in Nairobi. When she died from kidney failure in 2005, my world collapsed.”
“I had dreams of becoming a cricketer. I trialed for the Kenyan under-19 team, and my chances would have significantly increased if I had obtained the visa and moved to England.”
The other Mo only discovered his connection to Sir Mo after the 2012 Olympics.
He recounted: “Some uncles visiting from the UK asked, ‘Are you aware of the athlete, Mo Farah? Did you know he is using your name?’ I was shocked.”
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“I was a supporter of his and cheered for him on screen during his races, yelling, ‘Go, Mo’.”
“I didn’t reach out to him back then.”
“Our first interaction was when Sir Mo’s adopted aunt Kinsi contacted me via Facebook, informing me, ‘Mo is looking for you. He will provide everything. He will return your name to you and take you abroad’.”
It is not Mo’s duty to take responsibility for the son of those who mistreated him and trafficked him to the UK.
Source close to Sir Mo
“We kept in touch through phone afterward, and after the documentary, the production staff hid me in a hotel for six weeks for my safety.”
“One BBC producer contemplated making a sequel where I would finally meet Sir Mo in London, but that didn’t happen.”
Recently, individuals close to Sir Mo shared a different viewpoint on the relationship’s decline. An insider noted: “Sir Mo feels compassion. This person was also a victim of circumstances beyond his control as a child. Nonetheless, it is not Mo’s obligation. The adults responsible for their care certainly did not meet their duties.”
“That said, it would not be appropriate for Mo to influence any UK immigration policy or process. Quite the opposite.”
“This isn’t Mo’s issue to solve. However, on a personal level, Mo has had contact with Somali Mo for several years.”
“Communication ended in the summer when Mo chose to step back. Whenever something appears on Mo’s social media suggesting he has achieved financial success, whether it’s a deal with Nike or otherwise, there are immediate questions about why he hasn’t sent any money.”
Last night, the other Mo asserted: “I’m not a bad person. I wouldn’t encourage anyone to hound him. I haven’t shared his number with anyone, and I’m unaware of who has been contacting him. It’s not anyone from my family.”
“In my last message to him, I said, ‘If you don’t respond to my call, that’s okay. You do what’s best for you, and I’ll take care of myself.’”
Sir Mo was asked for his comments.
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CONFESSION SHOCKED UK
By Joe Morgan
NATIONAL treasure Sir Mo Farah left the country in shock when he confessed to living a lie about his identity for his entire life, asserting: “The truth is I’m not the person you think I am.”
He revealed on television two years ago that his real name is Hussein Abdi Kahin and that he was trafficked into the UK as a child after his father was murdered during the Somali civil war.
The running icon and father of three shared on the BBC1 documentary The Real Mo Farah: “I wish to feel normal and no longer feel burdened by my past.”
The Sun reported that Sir Mo feared losing his citizenship due to dishonesty in his application, but both politicians and celebrities rallied to support him.
