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Pape Diouf, Former President of Marseille Soccer Club, Dies at 68

Anne-Christine Poujoulat/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

This obituary is part of a series about people who have died in the coronavirus pandemic. Read about others here.

Mababa “Pape” Diouf, who became the only black president of a top tier European soccer club when he was appointed to lead France’s Olympique de Marseille, died on Tuesday in Dakar, Senegal. He was 68.

The cause was Covid-19, the club said in a statement. Mr. Diouf had been scheduled to fly to France for urgent treatment before his health deteriorated, forcing him to be placed on a ventilator, according to news reports.