Trump’s travel ban is crazy... I had to speak out
SIR MO FARAH has escalated his war of words against Donald Trump, calling the President’s Muslim travel ban ‘crazy and unfair’ and admitting he is still concerned about how he will be treated when he returns to the USA, his adopted home.
Farah is in Britain for today’s Birmingham Grand Prix, which culminates in the men’s 5,000 metres, the last indoor race of his career. He then flies to Ethiopia to continue an annual training camp at altitude but fears difficulties may arise when he attempts to return to Portland, Oregon, where he lives with wife Tania and their four children.
The 33-year-old, a Muslim who was born in Somalia but moved to Britain aged eight, has had difficulties with overzealous US immigration officers before. In 2013, the double Olympic 5,000m and 10,000m champion was pulled aside at a US airport, and believed it was his full name — Mohamed — which aroused suspicions.
But Trump’s travel ban raised the stakes and left Farah, who has lived in the US for six years, worried he may face another interrogation.
‘It was crazy and unfair,’ said Farah. ‘That’s why I spoke out. They have made changes for people like me but the hard part was going to a training camp and hearing the news I can’t go back and see my kids. That was scary and it was important for me to speak out as there are a lot of people who couldn’t say anything.’
The executive order, banning entry to the USA to people from seven predominantly Muslim countries including Somalia, was blocked by the courts but Trump’s commitment to pursue a revised version has worried Farah. ‘As an athlete you don’t like to get involved in politics but sometimes when it affects you — it affected me and my family — you have to speak up,’ he said. Farah sat beside American hurdler Aries Merritt during a press conference inside Birmingham’s Barclaycard Arena. He nodded supportively as Merritt, the 110m hurdles world record holder, spoke of his shame at Trump’s rise to power and controversial policy changes since taking office.
‘I don’t agree with what he has been doing,’ said Merritt. ‘The way his administration has been running is not normal. We have seen a lot of deceit, a lot of lies and it’s not something that makes me proud to be an American.’
Farah was expected to face stiff competition in Birmingham from Andrew Butchart, who finished sixth over 5,000m at Rio 2016. But the Scot was a late injury withdrawal, meaning it is likely to be a race against the clock for Farah.