Issa Hayatou, the influential determine in African soccer and interim FIFA president through the 2015 corruption disaster, handed away on Thursday on the age of 77.
In an Instagram submit, FIFA President Gianni Infantino mentioned: “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.”
Hayatou was additionally a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for 15 years, by 2016, and remained an honorary member.
He died in Paris whereas town hosted the Olympics.
Though a nationwide champion runner in observe and subject, it was in soccer that Hayatou rose to prominence from his native Cameroon.
Elected to guide the Confederation of African Football in 1988, Hayatou grew to become a FIFA vp inside 4 years.
In 2002, throughout a interval of deep monetary and political turmoil at FIFA, Hayatou challenged then-President Sepp Blatter in an election. Despite assist from Europe, Hayatou misplaced closely, with a 139-56 consequence indicating a lack of votes from his African colleagues.
Blatter remained FIFA’s president in 2015 when federal investigations within the United States and Switzerland into alleged corruption in worldwide soccer led to the elimination of a era of leaders from North and South America, together with Blatter himself.
Hayatou succeeded his one-time rival as interim president for 4 months, steering FIFA towards anti-corruption reforms and an election that introduced Infantino to workplace.
In 2017, Hayatou’s 29-year reign as the top of CAF ended when he misplaced an election to Ahmad Ahmad of Madagascar, who Infantino supported.
Hayatou later confronted an investigation by FIFA’s ethics committee and in 2021 was banned from soccer for one 12 months for an alleged breach of “duty of loyalty” in a business rights deal at CAF.
In a separate case, he was reprimanded by the IOC ethics fee in 2011 for accepting a money cost from the Swiss advertising and marketing company ISL in 1995 when it bought World Cup broadcasting rights for FIFA.
Hayatou was born right into a distinguished Cameroonian household; his brother Sadou served as prime minister of Cameroon from 1991 to 1992.
Source: www.dailysabah.com