The African sports world is mourning the announcement of the death of Hamad Kalkaba Malboum, an iconic figure in Cameroonian and African sports. The Minister of Sports and Physical Education, Professor Narcisse Mouelle Kombi, officially announced the sad news on May 13, 2026.
President of the Cameroon National Olympic and Sports Committee (CNOSC) and President of the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA), Hamad Kalkaba Malboum passed away after an illness. His death marks the end of an era for African sport, as he dedicated his life to the development and promotion of athletics on the continent.
Born on November 11, 1950, in Kawadji, near Kousséri, Hamad Kalkaba Malboum led a rich and varied sporting and administrative career. A talented athlete, he was part of the Cameroon national 4 × 100 meters relay team from 1970 to 1974, also participating in 100 meters, 200 meters and long jump competitions. Alongside his career as an athlete, he embraced a military career, joining the Cameroonian army in 1969 and graduating from the École Militaire Interarmées du Cameroun (EMIAC) in Yaoundé in 1972 with the rank of officer.
After his career as an athlete, Hamad Kalkaba Malboum invested himself in sports administration, rising through the ranks of the Cameroonian Athletics Federation before taking over the presidency of the CAA in 2003. He also founded the Cameroonian Baseball and Softball Federation in 1992. His leadership and vision have helped transform and elevate sport across the African continent.
Minister Narcisse Mouelle Kombi expressed his condolences to the family of Hamad Kalkaba Malboum, the Olympic movement and the entire sports community, praising the memory of a man who marked the history of African sport. The President of World Athletics, Sebastian Coe, also paid tribute to Hamad Kalkaba Malboum, highlighting his determination, kindness and quiet strength.
Hamad Kalkaba Malboum's death comes as the 2026 African Athletics Championships are taking place in Accra, Ghana. A minute of silence was observed in his memory, reflecting the immense respect and admiration that his peers had for him. His legacy will live on through the generations of athletes he has inspired and the sports institutions he has helped build.
