Former CAF President Issa Hayatou Passes On

Issa Hayatou, the former President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), has passed away at the age of 77.

He passed away in Paris on Thursday, August 8, 2024.

The Cameroonian led the continental governing body for 29 years, having taken office in 1988 and serving until 2017.

Mr. Hayatou was the longest-serving president in CAF’s history and held significant roles within FIFA, the global governing body of football. He was a member of FIFA’s executive committee, now referred to as the FIFA Council, from 1990 until 2017.

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Additionally, he briefly served as acting president of FIFA from 2015 to 2016 during the suspension of Sepp Blatter. FIFA President Gianni Infantino expressed his condolences on Instagram, honoring Hayatou, who was also a former track athlete and basketball player.

“I’m Saddened to hear of the passing of former CAF President, former FIFA president ad interim, FIFA vice president and FIFA council member, Issa Hayatou,” Mr Infantino wrote.

“A passionate sports fan, he dedicated his life to sports administration. On behalf of FIFA, condolences go to his family, friends, former colleagues and all who knew him. Rest in peace,” he added.

In August 2021, Hayatou received a one-year ban from FIFA for violating its code of ethics related to a significant deal with the French media company Lagardère in 2016. This sanction was later overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in February of the following year.