It is with great sadness that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) learned of the death of Issa Hayatou, who has died at the age of 77.
Born on 9 August 1946 in Cameroon, Hayatou's legacy as a sportsman, educator and administrator has left an important mark at both national and international levels.
“Issa Hayatou led Fifa through a very difficult period and was always defending the role of football in the Olympic Games and the Olympic Movement,” said IOC President Thomas Bach.
“In Africa, he was President of the African Football Federation, and also a leading figure for the wider sports movement on his continent.”
His contributions to sport throughout his career were recognised through his service as an IOC Member from 2001 to 2016, after which he became an IOC Honorary Member in 2017. During his time with the IOC, he was involved in several IOC commissions, such as Women and Sport (1996-2017) and Coordination for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad in Beijing in 2008 (2002-2008).
Hayatou began his journey in sport at a young age, excelling in athletics, basketball and football. From 1964 to 1971, he was the national champion in the 400m and 800m and represented Cameroon in the national athletics team at the inaugural African Games in Brazzaville in 1965. He also played basketball at national level and was a member of his university football team.
Hayatou dedicated himself to nurturing the next generation of athletes as a physical education and sports teacher, and later as the National Sports Director of Cameroon from 1982 to 1988.
In sports administration, Hayatou's served at the highest level. He was the Secretary General, Vice-President and eventually President of the Cameroon Football Federation between 1974 and 1988. His leadership extended beyond national borders when he became the President of the African Football Confederation (CAF) in 1988, a position he held until 2017. His influence in global football was further cemented as a member of the Fifa Executive Committee from 1990 to 2017, as Fifa Vice-President and Fifa President ad interim in 2015 and 2016.
Hayatou also played a crucial role in the organisation of major international tournaments. He chaired the Organising Committees for the Fifa World Cup in South Africa and the Fifa Confederations Cup and presided over the Olympic football tournaments from 1992 to 2006. His strategic insight was instrumental in his contributions to the Fifa World Cup Organising Committee and the Fifa Commission for Strategic Studies.
As a mark of respect, the IOC has lowered the flags to half-mast at Olympic House and the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland. A minute’s silence was held during today’s meeting of the IOC Executive Board.
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