Former Olympique de Marseille president and first black president of a top-tier football club in Europe Pape Diouf has died aged 68 after contracting COVID-19.
The Senegalese who was born in Chad but had French and Senegalese citizenship, led Marseille as president between 2005 and 2009 when the club finished second in Ligue 1 twice and reached two French Cup finals; They went on to win a first French league title in 18 years in 2010.
The 68 year old was hospitalised in Senegal after contracting COVID-19 and was due to leave for Nice earlier on Tuesday to be treated in France, but a deterioration in his health which saw him placed on a respirator prevented him from boarding the plane before he became the country's first COVID-19 fatality.
The former president was a one time journalist and football agent to the likes of Didier Drogba before taking over at the Stade Velodrome was the first black president of a top-tier football club in Europe.
