Mo Farah has launched an extraordinary attack on UK Athletics after finishing 21st at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships. The exhausted distance running ace told the Lufbra Echo that he had "hardly had a wink of sleep" the night before after he was forced to share a room with UKA Director of Endurance, Ian Stewart. "Whoever booked that hotel wants firing," fumed Farah from the course in Poland, "the food was absolutely shocking. I specifically asked for my steak to be rare at the pre-race meal and what did I get? It was virtually burnt. I had to send it back four times before they got it right." Farah was also critical of having to eat with "the kids" at breakfast on the morning of the race. "The Junior Men are frankly a joke. They were all texting the girls about who was going to get off with who at the post-race party. It's just not on."
The former European Champion described how he was "absolutely stunned" when they arrived at the accommodation on Friday afternoon. "I thought, 'we can't be staying at this dump.' It didn't have a sauna, jacuzzi or a turn-down service. How am I to sleep without a chocolate being placed under my pillow?" Farah said that he would be making his own arrangements when representing his country in future. "I can accept that we don't have to fly first class and I will even tolerate a four star hotel. What won't do is the fiasco that we have had here." The Somalian-born star added that he had "no intention" of staying in Bydgoszcz for the after race festivities. "I'm getting out of this hell hole as soon as I can," stormed Farah, "Ian [Stewart] snores all night when he's had a few and I just can't face watching him go through his moisturising regime again- it takes over an hour."
Farah also said that he was "seriously considering" whether UKA could be trusted to make arrangements for his forthcoming Front Romeu training trip. "To be honest, I might contact George [Gandy] and see if I can jump in with the Loughborough lads in Portugal. To run with Pete Matthews and Andrew Mariani would be such a great opportunity for someone like me."