Olympian Mo Farah is speaking out after Donald Trump signed a controversial executive order, suspending entry of all refugees for 120 days, in addition to barring Syrian refugees indefinitely as well as blocking entry into the United States for 90 days for nationals of seven predominantly Muslim countries including Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
Taking to Facebook, the British citizen and CBE recipient who was born in Mogadishu, Somalia, and lives and works in Portland, Oregon — where he trains at the Nike Oregon Project — revealed on Saturday, Jan. 29, that he would not be allowed re-entry to the U.S. during the 90-day ban.
“On 1st January this year, Her Majesty The Queen made me a Knight of the Realm,” the 33-year-old gold medalist wrote on Facebook. “On 27th January, President Donald Trump seems to have made me an alien,” he began his post.
“I am a British citizen who has lived in America for the past six years — working hard, contributing to society, paying my taxes and bringing up our four children in the place they now call home,” he continued. “Now, me and many others like me are being told that we may not be welcome. It’s deeply troubling that I will have to tell my children that Daddy might not be able to come home — to explain why the President has introduced a policy that comes from a place of ignorance and prejudice,” he went on, adding, “I was welcomed into Britain from Somalia at eight years old and given the chance to succeed and realise my dreams,” Farah wrote. “I have been proud to represent my country, win medals for the British people and receive the greatest honour of a knighthood. My story is an example of what can happen when you follow polices of compassion and understanding, not hate and isolation.”
Meanwhile, the long-distance runner, who also happens to be the most decorated athlete in British athletics history, will be separated from his wife, Tania Nell and their three children — twin daughters Aisha and Amani and a son named Hussein. Farah is also stepfather to Nell’s daughter Rihanna.
Of course, Farah isn’t the only celeb affected by the Trump’s ban. Oscar-nominated Iranian director Asghar Farhadi may not be unable to attend the Academy Awards in February due to the 90-day ban on Iranian nationals. Though it’s unclear whether Farhadi, whose movie The Salesman is nominated for Best Foreign Language Film, planned on attending the annual ceremony, Iranian actress Taraneh Alidoosti, who stars in the film, has already announced that she’s boycotting the Oscars in response to Trump’s ban.
