Former CAF President,Issa Hayatou Dies, 77

Former CAF President,Issa Hayatou Dies,77. The former FIFA Interim President and CAF President Is Dead.

Issa Hayatou was born on the 9^th of August 1946 and died a day before his 78th birthday (8th of August 2024). He was a Cameroonian sports executive, athlete, and football icon.

It is a famous saying that “nobody lives forever.” It was a sad day as the world experienced the exit of a great football icon.

Issa Hayatou was a Cameroonian sportsman, sports fanatic, and an administrator of the football game. He was also a former Confederation of African Football body CAF president and one-time FIFA acting president.

EARLY LIFE

He was born in Garoua, one of the French-dominated suburbs in Cameroon, into a Muslim family. His father held the title of local sultan, and his family were the primary bearers of the title in Garoua.

Due to his height and love for the game, Hayatou thrived as an athlete in athletics and basketball. He represented the country internationally and won national record titles in 400- and 800-metre running competitions.

Former CAF President,Issa Hayatou Dies, 77

CAREER IN FOOTBALL ADMINISTRATION

Hayatou, who was 28 in 1974, was appointed the Cameroonian Football Federation Secretary General. He went on to the position of Chairman of the Football Federation between 1986 and 1988 due to the political know-how and influence extended to him by his brother, Sadou Hayatou, who was, at that time, the former Prime Minister of Cameroon and a high-ranked official under the leadership of President Paul Biya.

He was President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for twenty-nine years and became FIFA’s Interim President for four months in 2015. He died on Thursday, August 8, 2024, at  77.

FIFA EXPRESS THEIR CONDOLENCES

Expressing his shock, sadness, and condolences over the icon’s sudden demise, FIFA President Gianni Infantino posted on his verified Instagram account, “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.”

NARRATIVES

Hayatou, who was also a member of the International Olympic Committee for 15 years through 2016, still retained his honorary membership status with the body. He died in Paris, France, as the city hosts the ongoing Olympics.

Issa could boast of being a national champion runner in track and field, but he found his footing in football administration, where he rose to the pinnacle of power and stayed at the top for a long time before death came calling.

He was a native of Cameroon, a West African country known for his zeal and penchant for football worldwide. Hayatou was voted to lead the Confederation of African Football in 1988, and within four years, he became the vice president of the world football governing body, FIFA.

In 2002, Hayatou challenged the then FIFA President Sepp Blatter amidst the period of political and economic crisis in an election in which he lost heavily as a result of 139-56. The voting details released after the election showed that Hayatou only got his votes from his African colleagues, who supported him through the election.

Blatter remained the President of FIFA until 2015, when a federal investigation conducted in the United States and Switzerland alleged to have discovered massive corruption within the Football Governing Body. This eventually led to the resignations of many prominent figures from South and North America, including Blatter himself.

Then Hayatou took over the mantle of leadership from Sepp Blatter as an interim President for four months to propel FIFA towards anti-corruption reforms and an election that produced the current President of FIFA, Gianni Infantino.

2017 saw the end of Hayatou’s 29-year reign as the CAF President following his loss to Ahmad Ahmad of Madagascar (34-20) due to Infantino’s support and influence.

Since the establishment of the African Football body, Ahmad is only CAF’s seventh President. Hayatou has become its seventh-term President on his way to winning his eighth consecutive term.

During Hayatou’s reign, the number of African teams allowed to participate in the World Cup increased from two to five, and the number of African Nations Cup Competitors rose from eight to sixteen. Hayatou’s influence won the South Africa World Cup hosting right, which took place in 2010. A competition brought about a revenue boom to South Africa’s economy and the CAF’s revenue.

Undisputedly, Hayatou had always been a controversial figure during his reign; at one point, the Sunday Times and the British Broadcasting Cooperation accused him of active but secret involvement in corruption.

Eventually, the International Olympic Committee reprimanded him over alleged unlawful payments he received from FIFA’s former marketing partners, ISL, during the 1990s, which Hayatou denied.

CAF authorities in Egypt rose to the occasion by reporting him to the country’s economic court on antimonopoly charges regarding a TV contract for the African Nations Cup viewing right.

After his long reign as CAF President ended, he was made the President of the National Football Academy by the President of Cameroon, Paul Biya.

Issa Hayatou had a wife and four children. He was born into a family with a strong political background till the time of his death and, his family still maintains their political strength and influence in the Northern region of Cameroon.

But as death can be devastating, Issa Hayatou died on 8^th August 2024 in Paris, France. Issa’s legacy and achievements remain intact, but they won’t be easy to match.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c1m0l90kymko

Former CAF President,Issa Hayatou Dies, 77