Mo Farah Humiliated By Suspected ‘Racist Abuse’ On Flight Home
Mo Farah probably can’t walk down a single street in the UK without being recognised, he is that much of a hero, but it seems his popularity doesn’t stretch to all corners of the planet. His wife, Tania Farah, has revealed that he was the victim of some pretty shocking treatment on his way home from Rio.
Tania told The Sunday Telegraph that her husband was humiliatingly forced to go to the back of the queue when the flight attendant on his connecting flight from Atlanta refused to believe that he had a business class ticket (which he did). The couple were attempting to board a plane back home two days after Mo picked up Olympic Gold in the 5000m when the incident occurred.
Getty Images“This woman basically humiliated him until people came forward and said: ‘That’s Mo Farah, the Olympic champion…’ She was mortified afterwards, but had basically yelled at him like he was a piece of shit to get back into line.
“He was the only black person [in the queue] and hadn’t done anything to warrant it. I just knew she had a problem with him.”
The Telegraph reports that Mo was finally allowed to board the flight when a second official got involved. He was given a round of applause when he got on the plane.
Other witnesses to the incident claim that Tania called the Delta Airlines worker “fucking pathetic” and told her that she led a “sad little life”.
Tania, like her husband, is a Muslim. She went on to discuss how she sometimes worries about discussing her religion because of the way people might view her.
“I’m sometimes a bit wary of telling people I’m a Muslim because I’m worried of how they might view me. It sounds terrible because I should be proud and I am, but I’m also conscious of how we’re viewed nowadays. The more people can give a positive image for Islam the better because we so need it and we’re all about peace.”
In other, more positive news, Mo Farah today won the Great North Run, becoming the first man to win the half marathon three years in a row.
Mo Farah is the first man to win the #GreatNorthRun three years in a row!
He even had time for a little kick… https://t.co/lrkmDRCpLY
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) September 11, 2016