Olympic Hero Mo Held in US Terror Blunder

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Olympic Hero Mo Held In US Terror Blunder

Double gold medal winner Mo Farah says he is frequently questioned by US customs officers because of his Somali origin.

8:52am UK, Sunday 30 December 2012

Olympic Hero Mo Held in US Terror Blunder Mo-17-2-522x293

Farah moved to England from Somalia when he was eight

Farah stands next to a sculpture, which depicts his 'Mobot' pose, ahead of the Aviva Birmingham Grand Prix.

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Mo Farah clutches his two gold medals from the London 2012 Olympics.

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The media takes pictures of the double gold winner embracing his wife, Talia, after winning the men's 10,000m final.

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Farah gives the thumbs up when his step-daughter, Rihanna, wears his Olympic gold medal, which he won in the men's 5,000m race.

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Mo stands with his wife and stepdaughter at the Olympic Park. The couple had twin girls a few days later, and the champion planned to engrave their names on to his two medals.

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Britain's Mo Farah and Jamaica's Usain Bolt celebrate with Farah's step-daughter after winning the men's 5,000m race and the 4x100m relay respectively.

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Farah does his trademark 'Mobot' as he poses for pictures with (from left to right) Former Brazilian footballer Pele, Vice-President of Brazil Michel Temer, and British Prime Minister David Cameron outside 10 Downing Street in London, on August 12, 2012, as they attend a 'Hunger Summit'.

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The athlete is a guest at the 'Hunger Summit', held at 10 Downing Street, which discussed plans to limit child malnutrition.

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Farah does his 'Mobot' pose on the Olympic podium.

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The world's fastest long distance runner crosses the finish line first at the men's 5,000m final on Day 15 of the Olympics.

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Britain's Mo Farah and Jamaica's Usain Bolt swap their iconic 'lightening' and 'Mobot' poses, as they celebrate on the podium.

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An elevated Farah is ecstatic after he wins the men's 5,000m race at the London 2012 Olympics.

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Excited fans greet the runner at the Games.

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Mo runs ahead of his competitors to take Gold in the men's 5,000m final.
Double Olympic champion Mo Farah has said he has been questioned by US border officials on suspicion of being a terrorist.

The team GB star even got out his two gold medals to show the customs officers who he was, but to no avail.

Farah, who was born in Somalia and moved to Britain with his father when he was eight, was detained as he was heading to Portland, Oregon, to spend Christmas with his family.

He moved to America last year to work with his coach, marathon champion Alberto Salazar, at the Nike headquarters.

Despite his international fame, the long distance runner revealed he often gets stopped at customs because of his Somali origin.

Farah, aged 29, told The Sun: "I couldn't believe it. Because of my Somali origin I get detained every time I come through US Customs.

"This time I even got my medals out to show who I am, but they wouldn't have it."

The 10,000m and 5,000m Olympic champion also told the newspaper how he had trouble applying for a residency permit to live in Portland.

"We were in Portland on a tourist visa so had to leave and re-enter the country as a resident.

"So we flew to Toronto to stay for a few days, then come back in.

"But when we were there we got a letter telling us we're under investigation as a terrorist threat and we would have to stay away for 90 days.

"We had only packed four days' worth of clothes. We didn't know what to do."

Luckily, Farah's coach had a friend in the FBI, who happened to be a fan of long distance running and knew of Mo, who sorted it out for him.