Mo Farah on his new life in Doha, reliving ‘beautiful’ London 2012 and why Olympics will come to Middle East
Just after 9.30pm on Sunday, Mo Farah’s neighbours might have started to question their initial enthusiasm about the new addition to their Doha community.
It was around then that Eberechi Eze completed his hat-trick in Arsenal’s 4-1 derby win over Tottenham.
Farah might be one of world sport’s most admired champions, but before all else, he’s a diehard Gooner. His 10-year-old son Hussein, whose middle name might have been “Arsenal” but for a maternal veto, even has “Eze” on the back of his shirt. The Farah household is an Arsenal household – and on Sunday it must have been a noisy one.
“This could be our year. The team is looking strong,” Farah tells The National via Zoom, after revealing the time difference to the UK doesn’t deter him from trying to watch every single game.
Farah’s love of football is a big part of his life – it even played a serendipitous role in his decision to relocate from London to Doha earlier this year. “I blame England for that,” he says. “I went to watch the World Cup [in Qatar in 2022], England played the USA, and then I watched the semi-final, watched the final, took my kids out there. My family absolutely loved it and, for me, I’ve always said when I do stop running, I want to spend quality time with my family.
“It wasn’t always the plan to go. [It wasn’t] ‘I’m in the UK, I want to move.’ It just naturally happened and it’s about being able to be happy and enjoy yourself.”
Farah’s move wasn’t without controversy. It was interpreted in some quarters as a verdict on the state of the UK. It’s a suggestion he rejects. He explains it was a decision based purely on a desire to give his children, a son and three daughters, the sort of normality it’s hard to attain back home given his status as a British sporting and cultural icon.
Asked if he feels his motives for moving to the region were misunderstood, Farah says: “Not at all, you know, everybody can move, that’s the world we live in. If that’s what suits, what makes a person happy.
“It’s what I wanted to do. I’ve always said that when I do stop [running], I want to have quality time with my family. I was away six months of the year, away from them, and now it’s about being able to give back to my kids, support them in whatever they want to do.
“So, again, if my kids are happy and they want to do something different, you just go out there and support them. But I’m enjoying myself. It’s a lot easier, we can go down the street and I can be with my family, and I can do remotely what I do for my job.”
He says he is “proud to be British … proud to have grown up in the UK and have the support I did from the whole nation” during his illustrious career. “That’s what makes me happy because, again, if it wasn’t for all these people supporting you throughout your career, perhaps it would have been different,” he adds.
Life after athletics
Farah has been retired from running for two years and is enjoying the quiet life. Padel and amateur football keep him entertained. He might have spent his career dominating an entire generation of distance running rivals, but the closest he gets to competitive sport these days is when the Doha dads’ team needs some legs in midfield.
He finds other ways to keep busy, including promoting public health programmes, such as the initiative that will bring him to Abu Dhabi in the new year. Farah is backing RunYAS, a new mass-participation fun run expected to draw thousands of people to Yas Marina Circuit on January 11 – not least because Farah plans to take part himself.
“I’m honoured to be an ambassador for RunYAS,” he adds. “I just want to encourage people and make it as fun as possible. Everybody can take part, whether it’s relay, whether it’s kids or the 10K. It’s amazing what they’re doing and it’s going to be on the F1 circuit, so sign up and get training.”
Such events are now common in the UAE, and throughout the Gulf, with leaders committed to promoting grassroots sports. At the other end of the scale, the world’s most important sporting competitions are increasingly being held in the Middle East.
Hosting the Olympics seems like the final frontier for attracting marquee events to the region, and Farah feels it is now only a matter of time. “I’m enjoying myself in Doha,” he says. “The Middle East, it’s so beautiful, the weather is great, and there’s so many sports and events happening in the GCC. More than ever.
“Qatar has hosted the World Cup – and Saudi Arabia will host it in 2034. There are already many big events in the Middle East. I expect we will see an Olympic Games in the region soon. The sports and hospitality facilities here are incredible.”
Doha itself is home to an annual athletics Diamond League meeting and hosted the World Championships in 2019. Farah contemplated making a return to the 10,000m for the meet at the Khalifa International Stadium, but by then had fully committed to the marathon.
Mo Farah through the years – in pictures
As it was, he had to settle for just the six world gold medals, to go with his four Olympic golds and five European golds. Not to mention a smattering of major silver and bronze medals, as well as numerous personal accolades, including a knighthood, the 2017 BBC Sports Personality of the Year award and an honorary degree from the University of Oxford.
“That makes me proud,” Farah says, when it’s pointed out that he remains the last man to claim the 5,000m and 10,000m double at both the World Championships and Olympics. “It’s something that, at the time, you don’t even think about it, you just go on and keep driving through, and think ‘one year at a time’. But to have that record – and it was six years unbeaten – is a great record.”
Beating the odds after tough start to life
Farah’s achievements are all the more astonishing given the peril he was born into, the truth about which he revealed in a 2022 documentary The Real Mo Farah. The show recounted that he was born in Somaliland as Hussein Abdi Kahin, that his father was killed in the civil war four years later and that he was trafficked to the UK at the age of nine, under the fake name Mo Farah. He later escaped domestic servitude by alerting a teacher.
“It was something that I’d always kept inside my mind, and it stayed there for more than 30 years, and what got me through is my family and my kids,” he says.
“Seeing them, you know, that’s the least I owe them, to be truthful and tell them who I am. And often, as they get a bit older, they’re asking me questions [about my past]. And just for my own mental health as well, it was [a case of] letting it out. We all need a place where we can talk, we can be open and let things out that we’re facing.”
A giant mural near where he grew up in Feltham, in West London, is a monument to those humble beginnings. “[The mural] means a lot,” he says. “A boy who grew up in Feltham, who came from that part of the world to make it, and become Olympic champion, a boy who came to the UK with nothing, child trafficked … and if you said all these things [to him], he would have gone, ‘wow!’ I’m proud to have that support from my home.”
The glory of London 2012
For Farah, one moment from his glittering career stands above all others. The day his life changed forever: Saturday, August 4, 2012, when he, Jess Ennis and Greg Rutherford all captured Olympic gold in the space of 45 exhilarating minutes to give the London Games its signature moment and script one of the greatest nights in British sporting history.
“Super Saturday, London 2012,” Farah says instantly when asked where his mind wanders in a quiet moment. “That’s what I’m most proud of, achieving that Olympic medal in London. That Super Saturday I shared with Jess and Greg, within that 45-minute window – that was beautiful, that was iconic. It was the whole nation behind you. [After] that, if I felt down or felt like, you know, I wasn’t quite motivated, I’d think back in that moment.
“There’s two things that I never forget: the first time you get selected to run for your country, it’s amazing, getting to put on that Britain vest, the proudest little boy that you’ve ever seen, that smile. And then you become a senior and to achieve what I did in London in 2012 was incredible.”
While he has put that GB vest away for good, Farah remains an ardent supporter of the team. The 800m star Keely Hodgkinson recently revealed her delight at receiving messages of support from him.
“Keely’s great, honestly, she’s doing incredibly,” Farah says. “I’m a big fan of her, just to see her attitude to running, how she’s become, what, Olympic champion, world champion. To do it in that style, the way she goes and attacks that race, that is someone who is fearless and that’s what it’s about sometimes, it’s putting yourself out there, and that’s what she does.
“I’m a big fan of athletics, I always will be, because I’ve done it for so many years. Jake Wightman is another one [I like to watch], Josh Kerr, Laura Muir, all the GB athletes – you support them.”
But does he miss the thrill of competition himself? “I miss competing for my country,” he admits. “It’s joyful when you put on that GB vest and you’re competing for your nation. You have to be proud of that. I don’t miss the training, but I miss competing and putting yourself on the line and going, ‘You know what? Let’s do this.’”
Asked what an average day now entails, he says: “Not the 120 miles I used to do when I was an elite athlete. I just try to stay on top of it now.
“I’m retired, with four beautiful kids. I spend quality time with them and encourage them to be active.”
That means Tuesday night football with the Doha dads, athletics and badminton with his daughters, or just relaxing at home with his three cats – Teddy, Boofer and Simba. They’re all Arsenal as well.
Cinco in numbers
Dh3.7 million
The estimated cost of Victoria Swarovski’s gem-encrusted Michael Cinco wedding gown
46
The number, in kilograms, that Swarovski’s wedding gown weighed.
1,000
The hours it took to create Cinco’s vermillion petal gown, as seen in his atelier [note, is the one he’s playing with in the corner of a room]
50
How many looks Cinco has created in a new collection to celebrate Ballet Philippines’ 50th birthday
3,000
The hours needed to create the butterfly gown worn by Aishwarya Rai to the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.
1.1 million
The number of followers that Michael Cinco’s Instagram account has garnered.
Naga
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3EMeshal%20Al%20Jaser%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3EAdwa%20Bader%2C%20Yazeed%20Almajyul%2C%20Khalid%20Bin%20Shaddad%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E4%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Squad
Ali Kasheif, Salim Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Khalfan Mubarak, Ali Mabkhout, Omar Abdulrahman, Mohammed Al Attas, Abdullah Ramadan, Zayed Al Ameri (Al Jazira), Mohammed Al Shamsi, Hamdan Al Kamali, Mohammed Barghash, Khalil Al Hammadi (Al Wahda), Khalid Essa, Mohammed Shaker, Ahmed Barman, Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain), Al Hassan Saleh, Majid Suroor (Sharjah) Walid Abbas, Ahmed Khalil (Shabab Al Ahli), Tariq Ahmed, Jasim Yaqoub (Al Nasr), Ali Saleh, Ali Salmeen (Al Wasl), Hassan Al Muharami (Baniyas)
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Vault%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJune%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECo-founders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EBilal%20Abou-Diab%20and%20Sami%20Abdul%20Hadi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAbu%20Dhabi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ELicensed%20by%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Abu%20Dhabi%20Global%20Market%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EInvestment%20and%20wealth%20advisory%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%241%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EOutliers%20VC%20and%20angel%20investors%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E14%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dooda%20Solutions%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Lebanon%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENada%20Ghanem%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20AgriTech%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETotal%20funding%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%24300%2C000%20in%20equity-free%20funding%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2011%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Sideup%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202019%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Waleed%20Rashed%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Cairo%2C%20Egypt%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20technology%2C%20e-commerce%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunds%20raised%20so%20far%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%241.2%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Launch%20Africa%20VC%2C%20500%20Global%2C%20Riyadh%20Angels%2C%20Alex%20Angels%2C%20Al%20Tuwaijri%20Fund%20and%20Saudi%20angel%20investor%20Faisal%20Al%20Abdulsalam%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive – https://www.agda.ae/en
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Simran
Director Hansal Mehta
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Soham Shah, Esha Tiwari Pandey
Three stars
THE LOWDOWN
Photograph
Rating: 4/5
Produced by: Poetic License Motion Pictures; RSVP Movies
Director: Ritesh Batra
Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Sanya Malhotra, Farrukh Jaffar, Deepak Chauhan, Vijay Raaz
BABYLON
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Damien%20Chazelle%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStars%3A%20Brad%20Pitt%2C%20Margot%20Robbie%2C%20Jean%20Smart%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
