* African football will forever be grateful to Hayatou for his enormous and far-reaching contributions
* Over many years to the development and growth of football in Africa—CAF president Patrice Motsepe
* CAF flag and the flags of all CAF member associations advised to fly at half-mast for a period of five days
Maravi Express
Tributes are pouring in from far and near following the passing on of Issa Hayatou — the former long-serving president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
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Hayatou, who was made interim president of FIFA during its corruption crisis in 2015, died in Paris yesterday aged 77 — just one day before his 78th birthday as he was born on August 9, 1946, in Garoua, Cameroon.
“In his condolence message posted on Instagram, FIFA president Gianni Infantino said: “Saddened to hear of the passing of former CAF president, former FIFA president and 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.”
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CAF president Patrice Motsepe has since requested that the CAF flag and the flags of all CAF member associations to fly at half-mast for a period of five days, until August 13 in honour of Hayatou, who led CAF from 1988 to 2017.
Motsepe said: “I express my deepest personal condolences and the condolences of the 54 CAF member associations, on the passing of 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, over many years to the development and growth of football in Africa. He will forever live in our hearts and minds.”
Football Association of Malawi (FAM) president Fleetwood Haiya said during his tenure as CAF president, “Hayatou played a significant role in the growth and development of African football as we see it today and the continent will always cherish him. May his soul rest in peace.”
Hayatou also was a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for 15 years, through 2016, and remained an honorary member and died in Paris while the city hosted the Olympics.
Though a national champion runner in track and field, it was in soccer that Hayatou rose to power and influence from his native Cameroon.
He was elected to lead CAF in 1988 and within four years was a vice-president of the world soccer body FIFA.
In 2002, during a period of deep financial and political turmoil at FIFA, Hayatou challenged then-president Sepp Blatter in an election he would lose heavily despite support for him in Europe. The 139-56 result showed Hayatou had lost votes from his African colleagues.
Blatter still led FIFA in 2015 when federal investigations in the United States and Switzerland of alleged corruption in international soccer swept a generation of leaders from North and South America out of office, and eventually Blatter himself.
Hayatou took over from his one-time rival as an interim president for four months, to steer FIFA toward anti-corruption reforms and an election that put Infantino in office.
In 2017, Hayatou’s 29-year reign as the head of CAF was ended in an election he lost to Ahmad Ahmad of Madagascar, who had been supported by Infantino.
Hayatou then faced an investigation by FIFA’s ethics committee, and in 2021 was banned from soccer for one year for alleged breach of “duty of loyalty” in a commercial rights deal at CAF.
In a separate case, he was reprimanded by the IOC ethics commission in 2011 for having taken a cash payment from a Swiss marketing agency, ISL, in 1995 when it sold World Cup broadcasting rights for FIFA.
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Hayatou was born into a distinguished Cameroon family, and his brother Sadou was prime minister of the national government in 1991-92
In his administrative career, Hayatou — who was an accomplished athlete, excelling in basketball and athletics in his home country of Cameroon — was instrumental in increasing Africa’s slots at the FIFA World Cup from two to five, significantly enhancing the continent’s representation on the global stage.
Under his leadership, South Africa became the first African nation to host the FIFA World Cup in 2010, a milestone moment for African football.
He came from a prominent family in Cameroon; his brother, Sadou Hayatou, served as Prime Minister of Cameroon from 1991 to 1992.
He studied at the National Institute of Sports in France, which laid the foundation for his later career in sports administration.
His influence extended beyond Africa as he played a key role in various FIFA committees and was respected as a powerful figure in global football governance.
Nigerian Senator and African Pillar of Sports, Orji Uzor Kalu has commiserated with football lovers across Africa over the demise of Hayatou — acknowledging the uncommon leadership skills of the late sports administrator, adding that sports enthusiasts will greatly miss him.
Orji Uzor Kalu
The former Abia State governor, who is passionate about sports, stressed that the renowned football administrator was a household name in sports globally having gone beyond heading the CAF as its president for 27 years to serving as acting president of football’s world-ruling body, FIFA, for four months and 18 days (8th October 2015 – 26 February 2016).
”The death of the former CAF president is saddening” Kalu said. “My personal relationship with him deepened when Enyimba football club under my supervision as governor won the CAF Champions League back-to-back and CAF Super Cup back-to-back.
“He was very instrumental towards deepening football in Africa and he was known for his uncommon skills, which earned him numerous honours and awards.
“The late Hayatou was indeed a notable figure in the sports industry. He will be sorely missed by family, friends, associates and football lovers across African region and beyond.”—Reporting by CAFonline, BBC, Canadian Press, Associated Press, The Sun Nigeria, News Central TV; editing by Maravi Express
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