Mo Farah, two-time Olympic gold medalist for Great Britain at the London 2012 summer games, was reportedly detained and questioned in Oregon by U.S. Customs officials as he returned to Portland for Christmas two weeks ago.
“I couldn’t believe it. Because of my Somali origin I get detained every time I come through U.S. Customs," Farah told The Sun. "This time I even got my medals out to show who I am, but they wouldn’t have it.”
The Somali-born Farah, who came to Britain as a child with his English-born father, has family in the Portland area. Farah moved to the city to train at Nike headquarters with coach Alberto Salazar in 2011.
ESPN UK notes that this isn't the first time the star athlete has had problems at the border.
However, Salazar told the Oregonian that the questioning has become routine and that the media has blown the incident out of proportion.
Farah was detained "for no more than 20 minutes," according to the paper.
"That'll show him for beating us in the Olympics! (And also expose our border control as haphazard racial profilers)," quipped Deadspin's Isaac Rauch, who also pointed out that the Olympic champion is also a well-known Internet meme.
Farah won gold in the 5,000- and 10,000-meter races at the 2012 London Olympics. He described his 10,000-meter win as the "best moment" of his life.
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