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Mo Farah 'relieved' UK government won't take action against his citizenship

Mo Farah said he is relieved that the Home Office will not take action against him, after he revealed on Monday he was trafficked into the United Kingdom as a child from Somaliland.

The four-time Olympic champion was given British citizenship under the name Mohamed Farah -- which was given to him by the people who brought him illegally to the U.K. Farah said his real name is Hussein Abdi Kahin.

Legally, the U.K. government can revoke citizenship if it is obtained illegally. However, the BBC reported that a Home Office official said, ahead of the release of the documentary, it would not take action over Farah as "it is assumed children are not complicit when their citizenship is gained by deception."

Farah said: "It makes me relieved.

"This is my country. If it wasn't for [my physical education teacher] Alan and the people who supported me throughout my childhood, then maybe I wouldn't even have the courage to do this.

"There's a lot of people that I owe my life to -- particularly my wife, who has been very supportive throughout my career, and who gave me the strength to come and talk about it, telling me it's okay to do this."

Farah's wife, Tania, said she was heartbroken when she heard of his background.

"My first reaction was heartbreak and sadness for him," she said. "I just immediately pictured 9-year-old Mo, and being so helpless and vulnerable. And then equally I felt angry at the people that did that to him, that put him through that."

She added: "[Mo is] now finally giving himself permission to feel those feelings of hurt and pain ... this documentary has helped him to deal with that. ... It's got to be a good thing. It's a form of therapy."

Meanwhile, London's Metropolitan Police said specialist officers were assessing information around the people who trafficked Farah to the U.K., before deciding whether to launch an inquiry. They said: "We are aware of reports in the media concerning Sir Mo Farah. No reports have been made to the MPS at this time.

"We believe there are victims of modern slavery, including children, in every borough across London and the public may encounter them every day, possibly without realising. As well as being sexually exploited, victims have been found working in construction, domestic servitude, agriculture, cannabis factories and in places you use yourself, such as car washes, barbers and nail bars."

Farah added: "No child wants to be in that situation. I had the choice made for me, and so young. I'm just grateful for every chance I've got in Britain to embrace my country, and I'm proud to represent my country the way I did.

"That's all I could do within my control -- I had no control when I was younger over where I went. That decision was made for me and taken away from me.

"I'm just happy to share what I've gone through and [has] made me the man I am today.

"I had no idea there was so many people who are going through exactly the same thing that I did. It just shows how lucky I was. What really saved me, what made me different, was that I could run."