the long-serving former president of the Confederation of African Football, Issa Hayatou, has passed away at the age of 77.
The news of his desth was shared by FIFA President Gianni Infantino via an Instagram story on Thursday.
Infantino’s message read, “Saddened to hear of the passing of former CAF President, former FIFA President and interim, FIFA Vice President and FIFA Council member, Issa Hayatou. As a passionate sports fan and IOC member, he dedicated his life to sports administration and on behalf of FIFA, and condolences go to his family, friends, former colleagues and all who knew him. Rest in peace.”
Cameroonian sources reported that Hayatou, who was battling a prolonged illness, died just a day before his 78th birthday.
Hayatou led CAF for an impressive 29 years, from 1988 until 2017, shaping the trajectory of African football.
In addition to his role with CAF, Hayatou served as acting FIFA president from 2015 to 2016, following the suspension of Sepp Blatter over corruption charges.
In 2021, he faced a one-year ban from FIFA for breaching its code of ethics related to a 2016 broadcasting deal with French media firm Lagardère.
This ban was later overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport in 2022.
Before his administrative career, Hayatou was an accomplished athlete, excelling in track and field and basketball.
His contributions to sports, both as an athlete and an administrator, have left a lasting legacy in the global sports community.
