Issa Hayatou, the former president of the Confederation of African Football, has passed away at 77. The Cameroonian led the organisation for 29 years, from 1988 until 2017.
He also held prominent positions within FIFA, serving on its executive committee, now called the FIFA Council, from 1990 to 2017. Hayatou briefly acted as FIFA president between 2015 and 2016 during Sepp Blatter’s suspension.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino expressed his condolences on Instagram, noting Hayatou’s dedication to sports administration and his impact on the sport.
In August 2021, Hayatou received a one-year ban from FIFA for violating its ethics code while signing a major deal with French media company Lagardère in 2016, but this sanction was overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport in February 2022.