Personal Life
Khalid Skah married Norwegian interior designer Anne Cecilie Hopstock after his Barcelona triumph, and they have two children. The marriage ended in divorce after the family relocated to Morocco in 2006. Skah lost a custody battle with his former wife in Norwegian courts two years later, yet failed to return the children. He is indicted on kidnapping, threats and domestic disturbance charges in Norway. As of 2009, Norwegian authorities had not accomplished to serve Skah any verdict.
The children fled Morocco in July 2009. The Norwegian embassy's alleged improper sheltering of the dual-citizenship children during their escape has led to a diplomatic dispute between the two countries. Skah has issued a reward and filed for custody in Morocco. The former track champion maintains his innocence, claims the children were abducted and asserts that armed Norwegian commandos intruded into his home. Hopstock later confirmed she had hired off-duty naval rangers to help her sail her children out of Moroccan waters.
Skah's sister is married to the Finnish runner Janne Holmén and lives in Uppsala, Sweden.
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