Former long-time president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and former interim FIFA president, Issa Hayatou has passed away at the age of 77.
Issa Hayatou led CAF for nearly three decades from 1988 to 2017. He was a key figure in global football administration and briefly took charge of FIFA during its 2015 corruption crisis.
Hayatou’s passing was announced as Paris hosted the Olympics, highlighting his past role as an International Olympic Committee (IOC) member from 2001 to 2016.
His tenure at FIFA saw him navigate through challenging periods, including his unsuccessful bid for the FIFA presidency in 2002 and his temporary leadership following the fallout of the FIFA corruption scandal.
Hayatou’s long reign at CAF ended after losing an election to Ahmad Ahmad in 2017. He faced investigations by FIFA’s ethics committee, resulting in a one-year ban in 2021 for a breach of duty related to a commercial rights deal at CAF.
Born into a distinguished Cameroonian family, Hayatou was initially a national track and field champion before transitioning to football administration.
