former IBSF President Frouse Saheed passed away
14 DEC 1941 -- 25 SEP 2007
It's with
profound sadness that I've learned the death of former IBSF President Frouse
Saheed from Sri Lanka.
Born on 14th December 1941, Frouse Saheed hails from a highly respectable family
from Galle. With lot of commitment and dedication, Frouse Saheed soon became a
rising starting in the billiards horizon. Young Saheed, beat some of the
well-known famous reputed players like M.J. Rahim and Marzook etc.
He became the Southern Province Champion in Billiards and Snooker and also Galle
Gymkhana Champion in billiard and snooker. His great achievement way to become
the runner-up in the Nationals to the legendary World Champion M.J.M. Lafir in
1973. He also won the Lanka plate in billiard and snooker.
Saheed followed the footsteps of his father and started gem business, in Galle
Face Hotel, Colombo. While being a leading businessman, he indulged in Cue Sport
at the Anglers Club. It was here, he came across many leading personalities, who
were promoters of Billiards and Snooker.
Another notable achievement of Saheed was that he took a key role in bringing
some of the talented players to world standards. Noticing the talents of James
Wattana, as the Asian President of Billiards & Snooker he spoke to late Morris
Kerr of Thailand and arranged to send him to Britain for further training.
Wattana ultimately became an Asian Champion and World Champion.
It was in the year 1982 that Sri Lanka's Frouse Saheed the elder statesman of
Billiards/Snooker world popped the idea of forming an Asian Federation as the
Asians were not faring well in World Championships.
The Asian delegates assembled at the AGM for the 1982 World Snooker Championship
in Calgary, Canada held a meeting and explained the importance of having such a
Federation. He single handedly attended to everything required for the
formation.
At the next AGM In Valetta, Malta in 1983 he confirmed the birth of such a
federation. His ambitions and all his efforts paid off when a jubilant Frouse
inaugurated the first Asian Snooker Championship at the Bangkok Place Hotel in
Thailand 1984 and Frouse was the first Executive President who later became the
Asian President in 1988.
Sri Lanka hosted the Third Asian Snooker tourney at the Taj Samudra in 1986
under the presidency of Frouse Saheed and the fifth Asian in 1986 at Ramada
Hotel.
Frouse, became the first Sri Lankan to contest and win a World Presidency, he in
1990 when the World Snooker Championship was held in Colombo beat New Zeeland's
Brain Bennet and to became the President of the International Billiards and
Snooker Federation.
The first World Confederation of Billiards Sports (WCBS) annual general meeting
was held at Yverdon les Bains ( Switzerland) 25 january 1992 Frouse Saheed was
offered the post of president in the WCBS but, he declined, served as a Director
of Sports of all three disciplines.
I've met Frouse for the first time in Malta in 1992. Then I met him in 1993 in
Karachi Pakistan during the IBSF Championships with a special IBSF AGM !
In 1994, in South Africa I've celebrated my birthday with him and his wife and
this time Dr Baron from Zimbabwe has been elected as President of the IBSF.
I'll keep always in my memory how Frouse Saheed was nervous during the elections
period talking with everybody, trying to convince all the delegates to vote.
Our last meeting was in 2006 in Sri Lanka during the 22nd Asian Championships.
He visited several countries to promote the game and I was sharing his point of
view that the best way to do is to meet delegates and to listen the federations
when they need help.
Frouse Saheed put Sri Lanka on the map of the cue world when he held the posts
of President of the local governing body, the Asian and then the World Body.
He had a great knowledge of the game and attended Tournaments all over the World
even if he was not invited.
All in all he was a good President and encouraged a lot of Countries to join
IBSF.
May he rest in Peace.
Bye Bye Frouse
- Pascal Guillaume (President - IBSF)