Olympics

Somalia-born Mo Farah troubled by Donald Trump's travel ban

Four-time Olympic champion Mo Farah says U.S. President Donald Trump's immigration policy "seems to have made me an alien" and fears he may not be able to return to his U.S. home.

4-time Olympic champion fears he may not be able to return to his U.S. home

In this August 2016 file photo, Britain's gold medal winner Mo Farah, right, celebrates with United States' Paul Kipkemoi Chelimo, silver medallist, during the athletics competitions at the Olympic stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Farah is unsure he will be able to travel to his Portland, Ore., home following Donald Trump's travel ban. (Matt Slocum/The Associated Press)

Four-time Olympic champion Mo Farah says U.S. President Donald Trump's immigration policy "seems to have made me an alien" and fears he may not be able to return to his U.S. home.

Farah is a British citizen who was born in Somalia, one of seven predominantly Muslim nations subject to the executive order signed by Trump that temporarily bans entry to the United States.

The 33-year-old is currently training in Ethiopia. His family is based in Portland, Oregon.


Britain's Press Association is reporting that Farah and his representatives are trying to establish whether the fact he was born in Somalia will now present a problem for him when he wishes to return to the United States. Farah does not have dual nationality or hold a Somalian passport.

Farah moved to Britain from Somalia at the age of 8 and is now regarded as one of the greatest-ever athletes in British sport after winning the 5,000 metres and 10,000 metres at both the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games and at the 2013 and '15 world championships. He also won the 5,000 metres gold at the 2011 world championships and was recently given a knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II.