VISÉ - The shock can still be felt, even though Roland Forthomme has just recovered. The 50-year-old Belgian billiard player from Visé, who is known as a 'bon vivant', suffered a heart attack over a month ago, in the week of 13 April. The operation he had to undergo was routine for the surgeons, but radical for the billiards giant. ''They put in two stents to open up the narrowed veins''. It feels like Forthomme has the heart of a young sportsman again. ''I have to live my life a bit more careful, then I can last another thirty years, said the doctor.''
The short period did something to him, psychologically and physically, he admits in a candid interview. ''I was warned that my heart didn't work well, so that's a big deal. They go from your wrist with a tube to your heart to visualise the blood vessels. You are awake during the surgery, you can watch, but I didn't. Two days later, I even saw on television that they have done this operation by a robot.''
Kozoom reporter Frits Bakker spoke with the Belgian billiard player, who won World Cups in Volos (2005) and Hurghada (2006) and is one of four world record holders for the best three-cushion run ever with 28. ''My feeling is that normal life is quietly coming back.''
Roland, for his fans Rolandinho, is happy that he went to a doctor right in time. ''I had some regular chest pains for a week and could no longer hide myself. When I went to the bakery, 200 metres from my house, I felt pain on the way. That came back a couple of times every day. In the end, I couldn't wait anymore. I had problems when I climbed the stairs. And when I came from the shower, I couldn't breathe. Then, we went to a doctor, because I couldn't go on like that.''
He should not have waited much longer to raise the alarm. The doctor immediately ordered an echo cardiogram, the diagnosis was: you need to go to the emergency immediately. One day later, Roland Forthomme was transported by ambulance to a larger and specialised hospital in Liège. There, a catheterisation was first carried out and it turned out that three blood vessels were more or less blocked. Forthomme: ''They placed stents in two veins on the right side of the heart. Three weeks later, I had to go back for the vein on the other side. They didn't do that again, it turned out to be good enough.''
Roland Forthomme: I have the feeling that life is quitely coming back to normal
The pain, if he had any, is gone, the aftercare has more or less rationed the Belgian billiard player. ''I haven't had any trouble and I'am getting fitter every day.'' Forthomme already played his first matches in the Spanish team competition. Next Monday, he leaves for the Kozoom Challenge in Andernos, France, for the last group match in that tournament. And two weeks later, on 14th of June, the Belgian heads for Korea for a stay there about five weeks: he plays two UMB events with the world top and has to spend ten days in quarantine in a hotel in Korea.
Forthomme: ''Of course I have to start living more carefully, with food and drinks. That will certainly be difficult for me with my way of life. I like to smoke a cigarette, I like to drink a glass of beer. I don't live like real sportsmen like Caudron and Merckx. I enjoy life more than they do, but I know that I took a certain risk in doing so. The doctor said: one glass of beer every day, seven per week on average. And be careful with food. During the tests they saw that my cholesterol is too high and that my sugar level is a bit too high. They gave me medication for that, which is probably for the rest of my life.''
He confesses honestly: ''When I'm at home, I'll be able to stick to that. I try to smoke a little less and be careful with food. But like last week, when I was in Spain and this week in Andernos, it's getting harder. The food is delicious, a glass is tempting, but anyway, I will do my best to eat better, drink more water. I will never live the life of a monk, being honest. So it will be quite a change in my life. With the adjustments, the medication that I have to take after the heart surgery. I've never taken a sleeping pill, never swallowed any pills, except for some aspirins when I have a headache.''
As a top athlete, Roland Forthomme runs the risk of doping checks during matches or tournaments. So he wants to be sure now that he will not test positive. ''I had a call with Farouk Barki, the UMB president, to ask what is allowed and what is forbidden. The doctor gave me certificates for the drugs I take, such as the beta-blocker, which is on the doping list. I am okay now if I have to play matches for the UMB, the CEB or the leagues.''
And luckily, normal life, both at home and travelling for billiards, is slowly returning. Roland and Karina, his partner, only spend the days at home during the lockdown for a small year. Roland: ''That is really special, being together in the house 24 hours of 24 every day.'' After returning from Spain, last Sunday, it was time for a short trip. ''Karina and I went to Blankenberge for two days, just to be in a different environment.''
In the days after the operation, he had a lot of time for thinking: to go or not to go to the Kozoom Challenge with the still valid rules for COVID, to travel to Korea or not? Forthomme: ''Five weeks away abroad, that is very strange for me, certainly to a country like Korea. How will I come out of detention there, won't it be too stressful? And not being able to play for a fortnight, not being able to smoke, getting the food delivered to my door three times per day. I'm not so bad with food, but to have good meals, to eat well, then Korea is not my country. That makes it all even more special than it already was. Not going outside, not able to play, not moving around. I spent half my life playing billiards. That has now been turned upside down for a year. We've tried to spoil ourselves a bit in that time: a bit of food, an extra dessert, an aperitif, but not too much.''
Roland Forthomme, a highlight in his career: the world record hig run he shares with three players: run of 28 in Den Hoek billiard arena in Zundert
The good intention is also: try to move more and better. ''I am not used to sit still a lot, not even during a match of my teammates. Then I walk around to support them. But I'm not someone as well, who does a lot of outdoor sports, going for walks, especially not when it's raining. I must say, with the nice weather coming up, I will certainly do that more than I did before.'' He now feels better, he says, one month after the operation. ''I can breathe a little better when I make an effort.'' And next week, he has another appointment with the cardiologist to see the results.
''Of course, I knew I was not going to play well right away'', he says after his first performance last week in Spain. ''It all takes getting used to, to the matches, the travelling, the atmosphere. I don't understand why we have to play with a mouth mask on. On television, you don't see any sportsman with a mask doing his sport. Only billiard players have to. And for someone who wears glasses, like me, it is very difficult, because the glasses fog up while playing.''
,,I am super happy that we can finally come out of the lockdown'', says Roland, who will play competition again in six countries in the new season: Belgium, Netherlands, France, Germany, Spain and Portugal. And of course he will play all World Cups. ''I don't expect to be on my best yet, speaking about my form and the rhythm, but I am a real league player. I do not expect much in the Kozoom event, where I play with Polychronopoulos and Nilsson next week. But I will not be surprised if I play well. It inspires me to play with good opponents. I am really looking forward to it, I missed the travelling and the matches. And let'a hope that life will gradually return to normal.''
Thanks for the interview, Roland, thanks for the pictures Dirk Acx
Roland Forthomme, ready for the new challenges in billiards