A Somali long-distance runner who came to Britain to seek asylum has been charged with two sex offences, The MoS can reveal.
Abdinasir Elmi, 26, whose immigration status is still being decided, has been charged with two alleged sexual and strangulation crimes.
The migrant had been a rising star in British athletics before he was charged with sexual assault by penetration and intentional strangulation last month.
The offences are alleged to have taken place on April 22 2025 at locations in Lower Gardens and Central Gardens, Bournemouth.
The runner, who competes for Bahrain and has trained with Bournemouth Athletic Club under coach Idris Hamud, has enjoyed a breakthrough year on the track.
He is currently ranked 599th in the world for the men’s 5000 metres and was registered with taxpayer-funded organisation England Athletics.
A spokesman for the organisation said they had suspended his membership and had launched an investigation.
They said: ‘We can confirm that Abdinasir Elmi’s membership with England Athletics has been suspended, and the matter is being investigated by UK Athletics. We cannot comment further on an ongoing investigation.’
Elmi appeared before magistrates last month and was remanded in custody ahead of a trial next February at Bournemouth Crown Court. He denies the charges.
According to World Athletics and running website The Power of 10, he ran 7:57.94 for 3000 metres at London’s Tooting Bec Athletics Track in August, 13:50.98 for
5000 metres at Parliament Hill in July, and 29:03.99 for 10,000 metres in Birmingham in June.
He also posted a 14:07 personal best for 5 km on the road, a 29:00 10 km time, and a 14:32 parkrun in Bournemouth earlier in the season — performances that place him among the top club-level distance runners in the UK.
Elmi is currently ranked 599th in the world for the men’s 5000 metres and has been viewed as an emerging figure in Bahrain’s growing distance programme.
To place those times in context: a sub-8-minute 3000 m and sub-14-minute 5000 m mark the entry threshold to international-class distance running.
Elmi’s 13:50 places him among the top-ranked runners on the British circuit this season and within reach of continental championship qualifying standards.
