SAN FRANCISCO, December 11, (THEWILL) – Issa Hayatou, ex-President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) was named Honorary President by the Executive Committee of the Confederation on Thursday.
The 74-year-old led the African football governing body for over 30 years, from March 1987 to March 2017, before being eventually defeated by currently suspended President Ahmad Ahmad. The latter won 34 of the 54 total votes in the last election staged in Addis Ababa.
In his time as CAF President, Hayatou successfully pushed for South Africa to host the FIFA World Cup on African soil in 2010, the first time ever for an African nation. He also fought for the increase of African spots in the global competition from two to five countries, amongst other achievements.
The nomination of the Executive Committee is expected to be confirmed during CAF’s 42nd General Assembly in Egypt on Friday which will be headed by interim CAF President Constant Omari, with Ahmad serving a five-year FIFA ban for unethical dealings.
“The Executive Committee decided to propose to the General Assembly of CAF to grant the status of Honorary President of CAF to Mr. Issa Hayatou, eminent personality of African Football for all of his work,” the official CAF statement read.
“This emeritus leader presided over the destinies of CAF for 30 years, from 1987 to 2017, and this distinction salutes his action in the service of the development of African football that he defended wherever it was needed.”
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