CAA President Hamad Kalkaba Malboum Reportedly Dies After Long Illness

Hamad Kalkaba Malboum has reportedly passed away at the age of 75 after a week-long of persistent health crisis, this Wednesday May 13 in Yaounde, Cameroon. The veteran Cameroonian athletics administrator, who spent decades shaping and leading sport on the continent, leaves behind a monumental legacy in athletics governance and development.

African sports is in mourning following reports of the passing of Hamad Kalkaba Malboum. The veteran Cameroonian sports administrator leaves behind a towering legacy that shaped athletics and sports governance across the continent for decades.

Born on November 11, 1950, in Kawadji near Kousseri in northern Cameroon, Kalkaba Malboum rose from humble beginnings to become one of the most influential figures in African athletics. His educational journey took him through Kousseri, Maroua and Garoua before he joined the army in 1969. He later graduated from the military school in Yaoundé in 1972 and steadily climbed the ranks to become a senior army officer.

Alongside his military career, Kalkaba Malboum nurtured a deep passion for sport and music. As an athlete, he represented Cameroon between 1970 and 1974 as a member of the national 4×100 metres relay team while also competing in the 100 metres, 200 metres and long jump disciplines.

His influence, however, extended far beyond competition. Kalkaba Malboum became a central architect in the development of sports federations in Cameroon. In 1992, he founded the country’s baseball and softball federations and later played leading roles in the administration of handball and athletics.

In 2001, he became President of the National Olympic and Sports Committee of Cameroon (CNOSC), further cementing his authority within African sports. Two years later, in 2003, he succeeded Senegalese administrator Lamine Diack as President of the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA), a position he held for more than two decades.

Under his leadership, the CAA oversaw significant growth and visibility for athletics across the continent. Following Diack’s elevation to the presidency of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), Kalkaba Malboum emerged as one of the continent’s most powerful sporting administrators, helping Africa maintain a strong voice in global athletics governance.

Beyond athletics administration, he also served as head of the International Military Sports Council (CISM) from 2010 to 2014 and remained closely linked to the iconic “Race of Hope” — the ascent of Mount Cameroon — which he helped organise from 1996 onward.

Away from sports governance, Kalkaba Malboum also explored music. His work gained international recognition when German label Analog Africa released a compilation titled Hamad Kalkaba and The Golden Sounds 1974-1975, showcasing another dimension of his rich personality.

The reported passing of Hamad Kalkaba Malboum marks the end of an era for African athletics. His decades of service, leadership and commitment to sport in Cameroon and across Africa leave an enduring legacy that will be remembered for generations.