Indeed, death is an inevitable end for every human, however, nobody had expected Thursday, August 8, to be the last day of the former President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Issa Hayatou.
News of Hayatou’s demise has cast a dark shadow on the football body.
Hayatou passed away on Thursday, just one day to his 78th birthday, following a prolonged illness.
The Cameroonian sports leader helmed CAF for nearly three decades, from 1988 until his unexpected removal in 2017.
His death has sparked an outpour of tributes from the football community.
If you are among those who do not know much about the late Issa Hayatou, then worry no more, in this article, we will explore 10 things that you need to know about the late football administrator.
Let’s begin, shall we?
Birth
Issa Hayatou was born on August 9, 1946, in Garoua, then under French Cameroon.
Career Journey
Issa Hayatou worked as a physical education and sports teacher at Lycée Leclerc in Yaoundé from 1973 to 197.
He later served as the National Sports Director from 1982 to 1988.
Sports Administration Roles
Hayatou held various administrative positions in sports, including Secretary General (1974–1983), Vice President (1984–1986), and President (1986–1988) of the Cameroon Football Federation.
He joined the CAF Executive Committee and became its President in 1988. He was a member of FIFA’s Executive Committee starting in 1990 and served as Vice President in 1992.
Also Read:Â Former CAF President, Issa Hayatou, Dies In Paris
Hayatou chaired multiple FIFA committees, including those organizing the World Cup and Confederations Cup, and led the Olympic Football Tournaments Committee from 1992 to 2006.
Issa Hayatou As CAF President
Hayatou was the President of CAF for 29 years, from 1988 to 2017, when he was succeeded by Ahmad Ahmad of Madagascar.
FIFA Interim Presidency
He served as FIFA’s interim president from October 2015 to February 2016 following Sepp Blatter’s suspension amid a bribery scandal.
2002 FIFA Presidency Bid
Hayatou ran against Sepp Blatter for the FIFA presidency in 2002 but was defeated, with many African nations not supporting him.
Degree
On November 3, 2007, he received an honorary degree in literature from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology in Ogbomosho, Oyo State, Nigeria.
