The world of Olympism and athletics is in mourning. Colonel Hamad Kalkaba Malboum , a key figure in continental sporting life, passed away this Wednesday , May 13, 2026 , in Yaoundé, at the age of 75. He, who led the sporting authorities with an iron fist and unwavering passion for nearly thirty years, was buried the same day in the Muslim cemetery of Soa.

A journey between military discipline and a passion for the stadium

Born in 1950, Hamad Kalkaba Malboum was a man of many facets. Before becoming an influential leader, he was an accomplished athlete in the 1970s, shining on the sprint tracks and in the long jump.

1. The officer: A colonel in the Cameroonian army, he instilled military discipline into the management of sport, notably at the head of the Organization of Military Sport in Africa (OSMA).
2. The artist: A lover of culture, he had even recorded a few records during his youth, before his devotion to sport definitively took over.

The "Boss" of continental athletics

It was within the corridors of power that his influence truly exploded. His meteoric rise led him to the highest positions:

Organization	Role	Year of commencement
CNOSC (National Olympic Committee of Cameroon)	President	1998
CAA (Confederation of African Athletics)	President	2003
AASC (African Sports Confederation)	President	2023

As Lamine Diack's successor at the CAA, he served six terms, fighting tirelessly for the recognition of athletics in the face of the omnipresence of football and regularly denouncing the "brain drain" of athletes abroad.

A man of conviction facing challenges

Kalkaba Malboum never shied away from the logistical difficulties specific to the continent. We will remember his frankness during the Asaba championships in 2018, where he promised more rigor to align African standards with major world events.

"We're dealing with the reality we're living in. We're going to be more rigorous, so that events in Africa can resemble major world events."

Weakened by illness, he was unable to travel to Accra, Ghana, for the opening of the African Championships on Tuesday, May 12. His absence, now definitive, leaves a huge void within the African Olympic family.