Issa Hayatou, a former President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), has passed away.
The news was confirmed by FIFA President Gianni Infantino in a social media post.
Infantino wrote, “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.”
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Issa Hayatou, a prominent figure in African and world football, died on Thursday, just shy of his 78th birthday.
The former president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) had been battling a prolonged illness.
Hayatou’s reign as CAF president spanned an impressive 29 years, from 1988 to 2017. His influence extended beyond Africa, as he also served as interim FIFA president from 2015 to 2016.
Despite facing controversies, including a one-year ban by FIFA in 2021 that was later overturned, Hayatou’s impact on African football is undeniable.
Before his administrative career, he was a successful athlete in track and field and basketball.
