By Akinwale Kasali
Issa Hayatou, Former President of the Confederation of African Football, CAF, has passed away at the age of 77.
The late Hayatou was in the saddle as CAF President for close to three decades, and remained a key figure in African football for decades.
The football administrator died in Paris on Thursday, August 8, 2024, a day before his 78th birthday.
Confirming his demise, Gianni Infantino, FIFA President, described the late Hayatou as a ‘passionate sports fan” in an Instagram post Thursday evening.
He wrote: “Saddened to hear of the passing of former Caf president, former Fifa president ad interim, Fifa vice president, and Fifa council member, Issa Hayatou.
“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.”
Hayatou was in charge of African football from 1988 to 2017 and served as interim FIFA President from 2015 to 2016 when Joseph Sepp Blatter was suspended amidst a corruption scandal.
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.
Hayatou was a Cameroonian.
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