The funeral mass for the late Richard Elias Fakoory will take place tomorrow (Monday) at the St Fimbar’s RC Church, Morne Coco Road, Diego Martin from 10 am.
Fakoory’s sudden passing on Wednesday plun ged arguably two of the nation’s most popular sports football and basketball into mourning. This “gentle giant in both sporting disciplines was 71.
Fakoory who has dedicated his entire life to the development of the youth through sports, particularly in basketball and football, died at the Westshore Medical Hospital at about 4:45 am, mere minutes after sending a WhatsApp message to his Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at the T&T Pro League Julia Baptiste, to remind her of business related to the Youth Pro League.
The proud sponsor of Superstar South East Port-of-Spain Basketball Club (SEPOS) which was coach by Lenny Guy, that campaigned in the Northern and North Western basketball Leagues, died after an autopsy revealed his death was due to a massive pulmonary aneurysm. The founder of the Super Ten Basketball League (SBL) with his friend and businessman Dave Ramkissoon of EDL in 1987, they offered the winning team a first prize of $10,000. Jogger 42nd Lakers of Laventille with some of the most talented players in the country emerged as champions and repeated the feat again in 1988.
Fakoory and Ramkissoon ran it the league for 12 more years with Richard is the face of the tournament. The tournament became a brand and household name in local basketball and the tournament every club and players wanted to grace.
That tournament was soon followed up with the Milo Big-7 Tournament which saw the seven best playing secondary school teams from T&T play at the highest level ever organised locally.
In fact, the SBL set the standard of the sport locally in every aspect (administration and operations) which was later copied by the National Basketball Federation soon after and the sport was bubbling for about two decades thereafter.
When Fakoory branched off into football it was the same and last year he became chairman of the T&T Pro League, taking over for Sam Phillips who resigned, and was also an executive member of St Ann’s Rangers, a club he founded and managed for many years up until a few months ago when he severed ties with it to focus on the sport at a national level.
His passing came a day after he had emergency surgery for a blockage in his abdominal, which was successful.
The football and basketball fraternities are yet to digest his passing.
Baptiste, with whom he shared a close friendship as colleagues in the pro league, was lost for words.
“It was only about minutes after 4 am that he sent me a Whatsapp message about letters done for the Youth Pro League, and then to hear soon after that he had passed.
“It’s difficult to deal with this loss, but I will always remember him as someone who loved the game of football, someone who loved the youths and was passionate to help,” Baptiste said.
She added: “Fakoory was also someone who wasn’t afraid to speak his mind when he felt he should. But above all, he was genuinely a nice person, down-to-earth, passionate about helping the young people in the country and a true friend.”
Meanwhile, Sport and Youth Affairs Minister, the Honourable Shamfa Cudjoe extends condolences to the family and friends of the late Richard Fakoory, Chairman of the TT Pro League and former Executive member and Founder of St Ann’s Rangers football club. Fakoory’s, untimely passing has plunged the football fraternity into mourning once again.
Fakoory will be missed, not only by the football fraternity, of which he was a part for over 40 years but also by Basketball, as he was instrumental in promoting the Super Ten Basketball Tournament in Trinidad and Tobago and maintaining a high standard for the sport.
Minister Cudjoe, acknowledges the contributions of Fakoory to the people of Trinidad and Tobago and offers her prayers to his family and friends.
Fakoory leaves to mourn his wife Angela, his children Rachel and Kyle.