Four-time Olympic champion Mo Farah of Britain and multiple world record holder Haile Gebrselassie of Ethiopia have become embroiled in a furious dispute over allegations the Briton was burgled at a hotel owned by the Ethiopian.
Sir Mo made the dispute public at the conclusion of a press conference prior to competing at the London Marathon on Sunday.
The 36-year-old claimed, unprompted, that there had been an incident during the build-up to his second participation in the event.
Sir Mo alleged that while staying at Gebrselassie’s Yaya Africa Athletics Village in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa, where he had been conducting his preparations, he returned to his room on his 36th birthday on March 23 to discover he had been burgled.
Sir Mo claimed a watch, bought by his wife as a present, had been stolen along with two mobile phones and money amounting to £2,500 in four different currencies.
“Haile owns the hotel and when you stay for three months at the hotel, it’s very disappointing to know someone who has that hotel and that kind of hotel couldn’t do nothing,” Sir Mo said.
“And at the end, they couldn’t do nothing.
“So just disappointed in Haile.”
The dispute escalated spectacularly when two-time Olympic 10,000 metres champion Gebrselassie, who set 27 world records during his brilliant career, responded, dismissing Sir Mo’s comments had been “deceit”.
Gebrselassie claimed he and his hotel had offered “unreserved support and commitment in regarding to his unproven claim”.
“Our hotel has a clear policy for its clients, which states they have to declare if they have a cash amount higher than $350, so that they are given a special safe box or give it for the respective officials to keep it safe,” a statement from Gebrselassie read.
Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.
