Football Association of Malawi (Fam) has joined world football governing body Fifa and Confederation of African Football (Caf) in offering eulogies for former Caf president Issa Hayatou.
The Cameroonian died on Thursday aged 77 after serving as Caf president for 29 years.
Hayatou was born on 9 August 1946 and has died a day before what would have been his 78th birthday.
He assumed the presidency in 1988 before leaving office in 2017.
Hayatou also held high positions at Fifa, including that of acting president when Sepp Blatter was suspended between 2015 and 2016.
Fam President Fleetwood Haiya said Hayatou played a significant role in the growth and development of football on the continent.
In a message posted on Fam’s website, Haiya said Africa will always cherish late Hayatou.
“On behalf of Fam and the entire football fraternity in Malawi, I express our deepest condolences on the passing of Hayatou to his family, Caf president and all Caf member associations and the people of Cameroon.
“During his tenure as Caf President, Hayatou played a significant role in the growth and development of African football as we see it today and the continent will always cherish him. May his soul rest in peace,” the message reads.
Fifa President Gianni Infantino said he is saddened with news of Hayatou’s demise.
“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,” Infantino wrote in a post on Instagram.
Caf President Patrice Motsepe has also paid tribute to the departed Hayatou and requested that the Caf flag and flags of all Caf member associations fly at half-mast until August 13.
“I express my deepest personal condolences and the condolences of the 54 Caf member associations on the passing of Caf former president Issa Hayatou; to his family, the Fédération Camerounaise de Football, its president Samuel Eto’o and the people of Cameroon.
“Caf and African Football will forever be grateful to president Hayatou for his enormous and far-reaching contributions, over many years, to the development and growth of football in Africa. He will forever live in our hearts and minds,” Motsepe’s message, posted on the Caf website, reads.
Hayatou will also be remembered for courting controversy as Fifa banned him for one year in August 2021 for breaching its code of ethics during the signing of African football’s biggest ever deal with Lagardere, a French media company, in 2016.
But the former Caf boss took the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which overturned the sanction in February 2022.
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