The former President of CAF died of illness on Thursday at the age of 78.

A man like no other! The comment was made by the renowned journalist Gérard DREYFUS following the announcement of Issa HAYATOU’s death.

The sudden news of the death of the former President of the Confederation of African Football broke on Thursday. According to a family source, he had been ill.

There is no doubt that Issa HAYATOU is one of the greatest sports leaders of all time. The former basketball player and sprinter headed the Cameroon Football Federation between 1986 and 1988, after serving as the organisation’s Secretary General from 1974 to 1983. During this period, the former student of the National Institute for Youth Sports (INJS) also held the position of Director of Sports at the former Ministry of Youth and Sports.

In 1987, he became President of CAF, until 2017. The Cameroonian brought radical change to African football. During his tenure, the African continent went from 03 to 05 places at the World Cup. Major changes were also implemented at the African Cup of Nations, with the number of nations taking part in the final phase of the competition increasing to 24. A number of reforms leading to the creation of competitions such as the CHAN, the African championship for footballers playing in Africa were conducted by him.

Issa HAYATOU became a member of the FIFA Executive Committee and served as interim President between October 2015 and February 2016. It was a crowning achievement for a man who has dedicated his life to sport and football.

After retiring from CAF in 2017, the native from Garoua chaired the Board of Directors of ANAFOOT, Cameroon’s national football academy. This was a reward from President Paul BIYA in appreciation of the accomplishments of such an outstanding man.

FECAFOOT pays tribute to his memory and extends its heartfelt condolences to his family and to the entire sport family at large.