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Hayatou lost his bid for FIFA presidency in 2002, and FIFA’s election of Blatter’s successor in 2016 marked the end of his tenure as CAF president.
The Cameroonian instructed the 54 members of the African Football Confederation to support the Bahraini candidate, Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, but Gianni Infantino crowned instead.
The Swiss-Italian was eager to see Hayatou go, but he was ousted in 2017 by FIFA-backed candidate Ahmed.
However, the Malagasy native is mired in even deeper scandal than his predecessor – First CAF president to be banned by FIFA Violate their code of ethics.
Developments since Hayatou left office have given some of those who had tried to vote him out time to reflect on his legacy.
“Isa’s death has made us acutely aware of the loss we have experienced since he left African football,” former Liberian Football Association president Moussa Biliti told BBC Sport Africa.
“Each of us who opposed him should have the courage to apologize to this outstanding leader.”
On the day Hayatou’s one-year FIFA ban was lifted, he saw Infantino at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in his home country.
Hayatou allegedly told him “you want me to die, but I am still alive”.
Now that the Cameroonian athlete has passed away, people have expressed their condolences, and the African Football Confederation and the International Olympic Committee have also lowered their flags to half-mast.
Despite his faults, many believe he has furthered the interests of African football better than most of his predecessors or those who have followed.
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