Sir Mo Farah has relocated his family from the UK to Qatar permanently, despite the ongoing tensions in the Middle East. Farah and his family have been residing in Doha since 2024 and have now made the move official.
The 43-year-old athlete and his wife Tania have four children: stepdaughter Rihanna, twin girls Aisha and Amani, and son Hussein. Following his retirement from running, they made the decision to move to Doha, the capital of Qatar, and have now finalized their residential status.
According to The Sun, Farah has transitioned his residency from the UK to Qatar in documentation for his company, which holds assets worth £3.9 million and paid £375,000 in tax and VAT in 2023. By relocating to Qatar, the four-time Olympic gold medalist will be exempt from paying taxes.
This move comes amidst the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, particularly between Israel, the United States, and Iran. Qatar has also been impacted by the regional turmoil, with Iran targeting the country’s energy facilities using drones.
While more than 100,000 Brits have fled the Middle East to return to the UK since the conflict began over a month ago, Farah and his family, who own a residence in Weybridge, Surrey, are familiar with the dangers of war, having experienced tensions between the US and Iran last summer.
Farah, who originally hails from Somalia and spent seven years in Portland, Oregon during his athletic career, has previously expressed that the move to Qatar was motivated by a desire for his children to grow up away from the public scrutiny of celebrity life.
In an interview with The National in November, Farah shared his perspective on the relocation, stating, “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.”
He emphasized the importance of spending quality time with his family post-retirement, highlighting the joy of being able to support his children’s pursuits in a more relaxed and family-centric environment in Qatar.
