Former President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Issa Hayatou, has passed away.
He died aged 77.
According to reports, the football administrator, who was a key figure in African football for decades, died in Paris on Thursday.
His death comes just a day before his 78th birthday, having been born on August 9, 1946, in Garoua, Cameroon.
Hayatou served as CAF’s president for an unprecedented 29 years (from 1988 to 2017) and was instrumental in getting Africa’s slots at the FIFA World Cup increased from two to five.
It was also under his tenure that South Africa hosted the World Cup in 2010, becoming the first-ever African nation to host the tournament.
He was, however, voted out from office after he lost in CAF presidential election to Malagasy contender Ahmad Ahmad of Madagascar.
Despite the loss, his legacy as the longest-serving CAF President remains a testament to his impact on the sport.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino expressed his condolences on Instagram, noting Hayatou’s dedication to sports administration and his impact on the sport.
In August 2021, Hayatou received a one-year ban from FIFA for violating its ethics code while signing a major deal with French media company Lagardère in 2016, but this sanction was overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport in February 2022.
Tributes have poured in from far and near following Hayatou’s death, with sports journalists from across Africa expressing their condolences on social media.
