NEWS

Queen Elizabeth made him a knight; Trump made him an 'alien'

Kim Hjelmgaard
USA TODAY
Mo Farah celebrates winning the Men's 5000m Final during the athletics event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

Britain's Queen Elizabeth made him a Knight of the Realm; President Trump made him an "alien."

That was the conclusion Sunday of Sir Mo Farah, the most decorated British track athlete in modern Olympic Games history.

"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," Farah said in a Facebook post Sunday from Ethiopia, where he is training.

"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."

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Farah, 33, was born in Somalia but lives in Oregon. He arrived in Britain at age 8 and was knighted by the queen this year for "services to British sport."

While Farah is a British citizen, he said he was worried that he may not be allowed back in the U.S. because Somalia is one of the nation's affected by Trump's executive order to temporarily ban people from seven Muslim-majority countries.

"I have been proud to represent my country, win medals for the British people and receive the greatest honor of a knighthood," Farah said.

"My story is an example of what can happen when you follow polices of compassion and understanding, not hate and isolation."

Farah is the 2012 and 2016 Olympic gold medalist in both the 5,000 meter and 10,000 meter races. He has nine international athletics titles.