The Former president of the Confederation of Africa Football CAF ISSA HAYATOU has passed away following the long illness he has been battling with at his home Town in Cameroon.
When it comes to writing the history of the Confederation of African Football, the figure of Issa Hayatou will loom large.
Following his death on the Cameroonian has been hailed as a steadfast and pan-African leader, and one who strongly defended the continent’s interests over the course of his 29-year reign as CAF president.
He also held high office in the world governing body Fifa, including a brief spell as its acting president, and was a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Hayatou died aged 77 in Paris, where he had spent much time receiving dialysis for kidney problems.
His time at CAF was littered with historical firsts as well as controversy, but one constant was the iron first with which he ruled.
PATH TO THE TOP
The son of a local ruler from Garoua, in younger days Hayatou became a national track champion over 400m and 800m and also represented Cameroon in basketball at the All Africa Games.
In 1974, aged 28, he took his first posts in sports administration when he became secretary general of Cameroon’s football federation (Fecafoot).
Just over a decade later he graduated to president of Fecafoot.
By 1986 he was elected onto CAF’s executive committee, and was head of the continental body within two years and a Fifa vice-president within five.
But for a man who dominated African football for so long – revolutionizing it in many areas Hayatou only won his first CAF presidential election by the skin of his teeth.
His victory, by four votes, ushered in a new era.
Hayatou pledged to increase competitions, revenue, credibility and relations with Fifa and other confederations, and delivered on many of his promises.
“President Hayatou was always able, through his leadership, his interpersonal skills, and his sense of pragmatism, to defend the voice of Africa. We owe him a lot,” Fecafoot’s current president Samuel Eto’o said.
President Issa Hayatou led CAF from 1988 to 2017 and passed on today.
The President of CAF Dr. Patrice 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, over many years to the development and growth of football in Africa. He will forever live in our hearts and minds.”
President Motsepe has requested that the CAF flag and the flags of all CAF Member Association fly at half-mast for a period of five days.
