Mo Farah, a four-time Olympic gold medalist born in Somalia and trafficked to Britain as a child, assumed the role of the first global goodwill ambassador for the UN migration agency on Tuesday.
Following his retirement in September at the age of 40, the athletics great voiced his intention to assist people facing similar circumstances in overcoming their experiences.
Farah’s illustrious long-distance running career featured victories in the 5,000 meters and 10,000 meters at both the London 2012 and Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympics.
In July 2022, he publicly revealed that his real name is Hussein Abdi Kahin, disclosing the illegal trafficking he experienced as a child arriving in Britain.
Contrary to previous claims of moving to the UK as a refugee with his parents from Somalia, Farah disclosed that he arrived via Djibouti at the age of eight or nine with an unfamiliar woman, received a false identity, and was subsequently tasked with caring for another family’s children.
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‘No child should ever go through what I did; victims of child trafficking are just children. They deserve to be children. They deserve to play and to be kids,’ Farah said.
He was appointed by the International Organization for Migration at the IOM Council, the UN agency’s annual main gathering.
‘Becoming a global goodwill ambassador for IOM gives me a chance to help people — people like me — and make changes,’ said Farah.
Capitalizing on his recent platform, the athletics star seeks to raise awareness of challenges faced by migrants, including trafficking, and advocate for the influential role of sports in transforming lives, particularly for women and girls.
‘I was able to take the opportunity sport offered me to overcome my experiences as a young boy and show that no matter what we look like or what we sound like, we can achieve and overcome great things,’ he said.
Farah opened up about being trafficked to London, revealing that he was forced into housework and childcare in exchange for food. Estranged from his true family, he vividly described moments of locking himself in the bathroom, overcome with tears.
‘A champion on and off the track, and a survivor of human trafficking, he brings true dedication, commitment and drive to IOM’s work, helping millions of people on the move and inspiring us all,’ said the agency’s chief Amy Pope.
The IOM has two regional ambassadors: Ghanaian musician Kofi Kinaata and Egyptian actor Asser Yassin.