Ex-CAF President Issa Hayatou is dead at 77

Issa Hayatou, the former president of the Confederation of African Football, passed away at the age of 77 after a long tenure of 29 years leading the organization. He took on the role in 1988 and stepped down in 2017. Additionally, he held prominent positions within Fifa, serving on the executive committee from 1990 to 2017 and briefly acting as president between 2015 and 2016. Hayatou, who was also involved in track and basketball during his youth, was praised by Fifa president Gianni Infantino for his dedication to sports administration. Despite facing a ban from Fifa in 2021 for breaching ethics regulations, the punishment was ultimately overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport in February of the following year.

Issa Hayatou, the long-serving former president of the Confederation of African Football, has died at the age of 77.

The Cameroonian spent 29 years at the head of the continental governing body, assuming the presidency in 1988 and leaving office in 2017.

He also held high positions within world governing body Fifa.

Hayatou was a member of the Switzerland-based organisation’s executive committee, now known as the Fifa council, from 1990 to 2017

He had a brief spell as acting president of Fifa between 2015 and 2016 after Sepp Blatter was suspended.

Fifa president Gianni Infantino paid tribute to Hayatou, who in his youth was a track athlete and basketball player, in a post on Instagram.

“Saddened to hear of the passing of former Caf president, former Fifa president ad interim, Fifa vice president and Fifa council member, Issa Hayatou,” 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.”

In August 2021 Hayatou was handed a one-year ban by Fifa for breaching its code of ethics when signing African football’s largest ever deal with French media company Lagardere in 2016.

The sanction was overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport in February the following year.