Pape Diouf, ex-president of Marseille, dies from COVID-19

Pape Diouf, former Olympique Marseille president, has died after suffering complications from Covid-19, the club said.

The French club broke the sad news via its official Twitter handle on Tuesday night. He died at 68.

“It is with great sadness that Olympique de Marseille learned of the death of Pape Diouf. Pape will remain in the hearts of the Marseillais forever, as one of the great architects in the club’s history,” it wrote.

The death of Diouf was also announced in a statement on Ligue de Football Professionnel website.

“The Ligue de Football Professionnel has learned this evening with great sadness of the death of Pape Diouf at the age of 68,” LFP statement said.

“Journalist, agent, president of Olympique de Marseille from 2005 to 2009, Pape Diouf dedicated his whole life in service of football.

“A member of the LFP administrative council from September 2007 to June 2009, Pape Diouf will be remembered as a charismatic and passionate director.

“In this moment of immense sadness for French football, the LFP offers its condolences to his family and those close to him, and to Olympique de Marseille.”

Diouf, who was born in Chad but had French and Senegalese citizenship, was hospitalised in Senegal after contracting the virus.

The former football agent and journalist had planned on leaving the country for treatment in France on Tuesday before he passed on.