Issa Hayatou, the former president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), has passed away at 77.
Hayatou, a pivotal figure in African and global football, led CAF for 29 years from 1988 to 2017 and held various influential positions within FIFA. He was a member of FIFA’s executive committee, now the FIFA Council, from 1990 to 2017 and served as acting FIFA president from 2015 to 2016 during Sepp Blatter’s suspension.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino expressed condolences, highlighting Hayatou’s dedication to sports administration and his contributions to the sport.
In August 2021, Hayatou was briefly banned by FIFA over a major deal with French media company Lagardère, a sanction later overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
