IFFHS NEWS - ISSA HAYATOU HONORARY CAF PRESIDENT
Picture : Issa Hayatou with FIFA President Gianni Infantino and IFFHS President HE Saleh Salem Bahwini at the CAF 2017
CAF General Assembly Crown Issa Hayatou Honorary President.
The distinction which will be effectively conferred on him next January 15, 2021 was endorsed by the 42nd Ordinary General Assembly of the Confederation of African Football, CAF holding by video-conference today, a few days following its motion by the Executive Bureau meeting chaired by interim President, Constant Omari.
The Cameroonian, Issa Hayatou, 5th President of the Confederation of African Football and the longest serving man at its helm lost to Malagasy, Ahmad Ahmad in April 2017 after 29 years in command. Since then, the ship of the body has been stuck in murky waters, bestowing untold administrative, financial and ethical shortcomings, and closing on the current 5-year ban slammed on its President by FIFA. The appointment of Issa Hayatou as CAF Honorary President is seen in many quarters as a bold step in the right direction for a body which has clearly been groping in the dark for the right modus operandi.
Issa Hayatou participated as FIFA Vice President at the IFFHS Gala in 2000 to honour the IFFHS WORLD CENTURY PLAYERS. Here with Franz Beckenbauer and George Weah.
Issa Hayatou who succeeded the Ethiopian, Ydnekatchew Tessema following three rounds of vote in a tight competition with the late former Togolese Football Federation boss, Godfried Ekué in Morocco on March 10, 1988 has been credited with quite a batch of achievements. In 29 years, he created the CAF, Champions League and CHAN competitions on the continent. He is also credited with Africa’s 5 openings at the FIFA World Cup Finals, as well as the pioneer hosting of the competition on African soil when South Africa did so in 2010. Other developments as zonal creations for better management of the sport and the strides made in women’s, youth and beach football are in the credit column of his achievements. It is therefore expected that his witty and charismatic approach to football management at CAF would be more of an asset than a liability.