The death of the former President of the Confederation of African Football, CAF, Issa Hayatou has been announced. He died on Thursday at the age of 77. Hayatou served as CAF President between 1988 and 2017.
Reacting to the sad news of the demise of Hayatou. the CAF President, Dr Patrice Motsepe expressed sadness.
Motsepe said: “I express my deepest personal condolences and the condolences of the 54 CAF member Associations, on the passing of CAF former President, President Issa Hayatou; to his family, the Fédération Camerounaise de Football, its President Samuel Eto’o and the people of Cameroon.
“CAF and African Football will forever be grateful to President Hayatou for his enormous and far-reaching contributions. Which he contributed over many years to the development and growth of football in Africa. He will forever live in our hearts and minds.”
“May President Issa Hayatou’s Soul Rest in Peace,” he prayed.
Motsepe requested that the CAF flag and the flags of all CAF Member Associations fly at half-mast. They are to fly for a period of five days, until 13 August 2024.
Asides being CAF President, Hayatou also served as the acting FIFA President until 26 February 2016. This was during the period that the previous FIFA President, Sepp Blatter was banned from all football-related activities in 2015. Blatter was accused of corruption and underwent investigation.
In 2002, Hayatou ran for President of FIFA but was defeated by Blatter. He also served as a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
In November 2010, Hayatou was alleged by the BBC to have taken bribes in the 1990s. The charge was with regards to the awarding of World Cup television rights. The IOC announced it would investigate him.
Following the 2015 FIFA corruption case against Blatter, Hayatou took charge of FIFA, as the acting president. He was there in an acting capacity until 26 February 2016 when Gianni Infantino was elected to the position.
On 16 March 2017, Hayatou tried once again to become the FIFA President, but was defeated by Malagasy challenger Ahmad Ahmad. That defeat marked the end Hayatou’s 29-year reign as the CAF President.
On 24 May 2017, he was appointed President of the National Football Academy by the president of Cameroon, Paul Biya.
Hayatou was born on August 9, 1946.
Follow us for more news on our WhatsApp News Channels @
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaC505jB4hdZ5Yx9g82U