COVID-19: Former Marseille President Pape Diouf Passes Away

COVID-19: Former Marseille President Pape Diouf Passes Away

By Sampson Adedeji

Senegalese journalist and former Olympique de Marseille president Pape Diouf has passed away after contracting the coronavirus.

Diouf was first put on a ventilator and a medically induced coma last Friday after developing some critical symptoms. His situation then unfortunately worsened throughout the week-end.

His body will be sent to Nice, France, it will be placed in a medical institution. The 68-year-old reportedly contracted the disease while on a business trip in the Ivory Coast capital, Abidjan.

Diouf was Marseille’s president between 2005 and 2009 and despite not having lifted any trophies during his tenure, the club performed quite well during a very competitive French League dominated by the likes of Lyon and Bordeaux.

Marseille were runners-up twice in the Ligue 1 as well as in the Coupe de France during his leadership and reached the UEFA Cup quarter-finals.