Ex-CAF president Issa Hayatou dies at 77

Issa Hayatou, a former president of the Confederation of African Football, passed away.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced Hayatou's passing on Thursday via a post on his Instagram stories.

"Saddened to hear of the passing of former CAF President, FIFA President, FIFA Vice President in interim, and FIFA Council member, Issa Hayatou," wrote Infantino.

He dedicated his life to sports administration and on behalf of FIFA. He was an avid sports fan and an IOC member. Our condolences go out to his family, friends, former coworkers, and everyone who knew him. Peace be with you.
According to Cameroonian media, Hayatou fought a protracted illness before passing away less than 24 hours before turning 78.
He led CAF as its president for 29 years, starting in 1988 and ending with his abrupt resignation in 2017.

In addition, he served as FIFA's acting president from 2015 to 2016 following Sepp Blatter's suspension over charges of corruption.

FIFA banned Hayatou for a year in 2021 for breaking the federation's code of ethics in relation to CAF's 2016 broadcast agreement with the French media. company Lagardère.
But the next year, the Court of Arbitration for Sport reversed the decision.

Before entering the world of football administration, Hayatou competed successfully in basketball and track & field.