Remembering a dedicated sports personality
Tuesday, 19 January 2010
Md Mahfuzur Rahman Siddique
THE first-ever commemoration meeting that was held in the newly-built Olympic House, Dhaka was on 2 January, 2010 and it was on Dr. Omar Faruque. A dedicated sports personality, Dr. Faruque, breathed his last on 23 November, 2009 at a comparatively young age. He was an efficient sports organiser, a famed National Course Director of the NOC, Bangladesh and an internationally reputed doping coordinator. He was the President of the Medical Committee of BOA and Member-Secretary of the Medical Sub-Committee formed by the South Asian Games Organising Committee. His professional colleagues and co-workers in the doping and the medical committees of the Bangladesh Olympic Association (BOA) attended the meeting. BOA Secretary General Mr Kutubuddin Ahmed, BOA Vice-President Mr Mizanur Rahman Manu, Dr. Faruque's widowed wife and orphaned sons and hosts of near relatives were present on the occasion.
Dr Zakir Ahmed, associated with the committees, and BOA Secretary General Mr Kutubuddin Ahmed briefly narrated the life and acievements of Dr Faruque, emphasising his sports-related activities. At the end a prayer seeking divine blessing for the departed soul was held.
I came to know Dr. Faruque, a man of amicable disposition, back in 1995, and that too very unexpectedly as a patient. At that time my office was in Segun Bagicha, adjacent to the National Press Club. In a weekend, while doing some household work in my Motijheel AGB Colony residence, the big toe of my right foot bruised under the corner of a steel trunk. Within a short while of the accident blood clotted under the nail and the pain was so severe that I could not wear shoe for a couple of weeks and hobbled in pain. The medication prescribed by a nearby doctor resulted in a very slow recovery. One day Mr Rafiqul Islam Tipu, a reputed table tennis organiser, came to my office on some business and saw me in this trouble. In the following morning he came again without giving any prior intimation. He was accompanied by a fair-complexioned, strong and stout man of short stature with an almost bald head and bright big eyes. This stranger was Dr Omar Faruque. After formal introduction through exchange of compliments he examined my injured toe and nail and advised me to see him at office of the table tennis federation at No 1, Bangabadhu National Stadium in the same evening. He gave no prescription and enquired only about the medicine I was taking. Accordingly, I met him in the TT office. There I was introduced to Dr Zakir and Mr Ajay Barua, senior sports reporter, the Sangbad and Mr Monzurul Haque, sports editor, the Independent. Dr. Faruque then took me in his car to a private clinic in the then Road 2, Dhanmondi residential area, Dhaka. Mr Tipu and Dr Zakir accompanied us. Just after stepping into the first floor of the house he asked technicians to get the OT ready. I realised that my injured nail would be operated upon. I got panicked and requested him to treat my injury with medication even if it would take more time. Paying no heed to my request, smiling Dr Faruque said, ''Don't be afraid. The injured portion under the nail has been infected and the only choice is to extract it. It's a very minor operation. Don't panic, please. I will use local anaesthesia, you will not even feel the pain of an ant biting". As an experienced surgeon he did the job at ease, finished dressing and prescribed medicine for me. I encountered an embarrassing situation in offering him fee and charge. Then through Mr Tipu and Dr Zakir, I came to know that he usually does not accept any charge or visit for treating athletes and any one associated with the sports federations. Now in his absence I realise that the injury of my toe nail was a blessing in disguise. Otherwise, my acquaintance with this generous man would have been delayed by three more years till my induction in the executive committee of TT federation in 1998.
Since my confirmation by the IOC as National Course Director (NCD) of BOA in 2000 my relationship with this good-natured man continued to grow. In conducting Olympic solidarity sports leadership (later renamed as administrators) course throughout Bangladesh with him in the past decade my knowledge about his humanitarian qualities and organising capabilities grew. As an NCD he was very efficient. With his gifted wit, sense of humour and outstanding speaking power he could hold the participants in rapt attention hours together in discussing the relatively hard topics of sports medicine, sports science and doping. Among the senior and contemporary NCDs, he was undoubtedly the most successful and popular one.
At one stage he dervoted his attention solely on doping. Doping in sports is a great threat to the true Olympic spirit. To make the sports practice in Bangladesh doping-free he wholeheartedly got engaged in anti-doping activities. Within a short time he made his mark in this highly specialised field and was nominated as a doping coordinator of the Asian Football Confederation as a nominee of the Bangladesh Football Federation. By virtue of his hard work and strong motivation in anti-doping code and policy of IOC and WADA he secured a place in the Olympic Council of Asia. He emerged as a prominent figure in the Regional Anti-doping Organisation, headquartered in Male. Besides, he was elected Member-Secretary of the anti-doping committee of BOA and became President of its medical committee. Recently he was inducted as the Member-Secretary of the medical sub-committee formed by the South Asian Games Organising Committee on the occasion of its XI edition scheduled to be held in Dhaka in 2010. His farsightedness enabled him to differentiate between the 1993 SA Games and 2010 SA Games in respect of doping test. In 1993 edition of these Games random dope test of participating athletes was not compulsory. But in case of XI SA Games this test has been made mandatory by the WADA. That is why well ahead of the opening of the Games he took necessary mental and logistic preparation to face this challenging job by the medical committee of BOA and the medical sub-committee of XI SA Games. At his initiative BOA organised two anti-doping seminars in Dhaka in 2008 and 2009 respectively. He played a pioneering role and made substantial financial contribution in one of these seminars. He played a big role as a member of the Bangladesh delegation to the recently held ministerial-level anti-doping conference in Damascus, Syria.
Any discussion commemorating Dr Omar Faruque would be incomplete if his inimitable humanitarian qualities and generousness are not touched upon. He rendered medical service to the athletes, organisers and their near relations selflessly, never accepting any visit or consultation fee or operation charge. He made time for them despite his tight schedule as a consultant surgeon of the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases. Very often he used to bear the cost of medical treatment of the poor athletes which he never disclosed. Even a few weeks before his death, at the behest of BOA, he took a player of kabaddi team, the national game of Bangladesh, with a ligament injury to Bangkok for better treatment.
Shortly afterwards Dr. Faruque's heart ailment turned worse. He was treated at home and abroad. His hundreds of well-wishers in the Bangladesh sports circle sincerely prayed for his early recovery and long life. Alas! They were destined to hear the heart-rending news of his sudden demise in the fateful evening of 23 November, 2009. His dedication to the development of sports in Bangladesh, his untiring effort of freeing sports of his beloved country, the SAARC region and beyond from the unethical practice of doping, his humanitarian qualities and generosity will ever remain as a source of inspiration to his successors.
THE first-ever commemoration meeting that was held in the newly-built Olympic House, Dhaka was on 2 January, 2010 and it was on Dr. Omar Faruque. A dedicated sports personality, Dr. Faruque, breathed his last on 23 November, 2009 at a comparatively young age. He was an efficient sports organiser, a famed National Course Director of the NOC, Bangladesh and an internationally reputed doping coordinator. He was the President of the Medical Committee of BOA and Member-Secretary of the Medical Sub-Committee formed by the South Asian Games Organising Committee. His professional colleagues and co-workers in the doping and the medical committees of the Bangladesh Olympic Association (BOA) attended the meeting. BOA Secretary General Mr Kutubuddin Ahmed, BOA Vice-President Mr Mizanur Rahman Manu, Dr. Faruque's widowed wife and orphaned sons and hosts of near relatives were present on the occasion.
Dr Zakir Ahmed, associated with the committees, and BOA Secretary General Mr Kutubuddin Ahmed briefly narrated the life and acievements of Dr Faruque, emphasising his sports-related activities. At the end a prayer seeking divine blessing for the departed soul was held.
I came to know Dr. Faruque, a man of amicable disposition, back in 1995, and that too very unexpectedly as a patient. At that time my office was in Segun Bagicha, adjacent to the National Press Club. In a weekend, while doing some household work in my Motijheel AGB Colony residence, the big toe of my right foot bruised under the corner of a steel trunk. Within a short while of the accident blood clotted under the nail and the pain was so severe that I could not wear shoe for a couple of weeks and hobbled in pain. The medication prescribed by a nearby doctor resulted in a very slow recovery. One day Mr Rafiqul Islam Tipu, a reputed table tennis organiser, came to my office on some business and saw me in this trouble. In the following morning he came again without giving any prior intimation. He was accompanied by a fair-complexioned, strong and stout man of short stature with an almost bald head and bright big eyes. This stranger was Dr Omar Faruque. After formal introduction through exchange of compliments he examined my injured toe and nail and advised me to see him at office of the table tennis federation at No 1, Bangabadhu National Stadium in the same evening. He gave no prescription and enquired only about the medicine I was taking. Accordingly, I met him in the TT office. There I was introduced to Dr Zakir and Mr Ajay Barua, senior sports reporter, the Sangbad and Mr Monzurul Haque, sports editor, the Independent. Dr. Faruque then took me in his car to a private clinic in the then Road 2, Dhanmondi residential area, Dhaka. Mr Tipu and Dr Zakir accompanied us. Just after stepping into the first floor of the house he asked technicians to get the OT ready. I realised that my injured nail would be operated upon. I got panicked and requested him to treat my injury with medication even if it would take more time. Paying no heed to my request, smiling Dr Faruque said, ''Don't be afraid. The injured portion under the nail has been infected and the only choice is to extract it. It's a very minor operation. Don't panic, please. I will use local anaesthesia, you will not even feel the pain of an ant biting". As an experienced surgeon he did the job at ease, finished dressing and prescribed medicine for me. I encountered an embarrassing situation in offering him fee and charge. Then through Mr Tipu and Dr Zakir, I came to know that he usually does not accept any charge or visit for treating athletes and any one associated with the sports federations. Now in his absence I realise that the injury of my toe nail was a blessing in disguise. Otherwise, my acquaintance with this generous man would have been delayed by three more years till my induction in the executive committee of TT federation in 1998.
Since my confirmation by the IOC as National Course Director (NCD) of BOA in 2000 my relationship with this good-natured man continued to grow. In conducting Olympic solidarity sports leadership (later renamed as administrators) course throughout Bangladesh with him in the past decade my knowledge about his humanitarian qualities and organising capabilities grew. As an NCD he was very efficient. With his gifted wit, sense of humour and outstanding speaking power he could hold the participants in rapt attention hours together in discussing the relatively hard topics of sports medicine, sports science and doping. Among the senior and contemporary NCDs, he was undoubtedly the most successful and popular one.
At one stage he dervoted his attention solely on doping. Doping in sports is a great threat to the true Olympic spirit. To make the sports practice in Bangladesh doping-free he wholeheartedly got engaged in anti-doping activities. Within a short time he made his mark in this highly specialised field and was nominated as a doping coordinator of the Asian Football Confederation as a nominee of the Bangladesh Football Federation. By virtue of his hard work and strong motivation in anti-doping code and policy of IOC and WADA he secured a place in the Olympic Council of Asia. He emerged as a prominent figure in the Regional Anti-doping Organisation, headquartered in Male. Besides, he was elected Member-Secretary of the anti-doping committee of BOA and became President of its medical committee. Recently he was inducted as the Member-Secretary of the medical sub-committee formed by the South Asian Games Organising Committee on the occasion of its XI edition scheduled to be held in Dhaka in 2010. His farsightedness enabled him to differentiate between the 1993 SA Games and 2010 SA Games in respect of doping test. In 1993 edition of these Games random dope test of participating athletes was not compulsory. But in case of XI SA Games this test has been made mandatory by the WADA. That is why well ahead of the opening of the Games he took necessary mental and logistic preparation to face this challenging job by the medical committee of BOA and the medical sub-committee of XI SA Games. At his initiative BOA organised two anti-doping seminars in Dhaka in 2008 and 2009 respectively. He played a pioneering role and made substantial financial contribution in one of these seminars. He played a big role as a member of the Bangladesh delegation to the recently held ministerial-level anti-doping conference in Damascus, Syria.
Any discussion commemorating Dr Omar Faruque would be incomplete if his inimitable humanitarian qualities and generousness are not touched upon. He rendered medical service to the athletes, organisers and their near relations selflessly, never accepting any visit or consultation fee or operation charge. He made time for them despite his tight schedule as a consultant surgeon of the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases. Very often he used to bear the cost of medical treatment of the poor athletes which he never disclosed. Even a few weeks before his death, at the behest of BOA, he took a player of kabaddi team, the national game of Bangladesh, with a ligament injury to Bangkok for better treatment.
Shortly afterwards Dr. Faruque's heart ailment turned worse. He was treated at home and abroad. His hundreds of well-wishers in the Bangladesh sports circle sincerely prayed for his early recovery and long life. Alas! They were destined to hear the heart-rending news of his sudden demise in the fateful evening of 23 November, 2009. His dedication to the development of sports in Bangladesh, his untiring effort of freeing sports of his beloved country, the SAARC region and beyond from the unethical practice of doping, his humanitarian qualities and generosity will ever remain as a source of inspiration to his successors.