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 the coronavirus, 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.

He was born on Dec. 18, 1951, in Chad to Demba and Aminata Diouf, and held French and Senegalese citizenship. He moved to France at 18 with the expectation of completing his university studies, but that plan quickly gave way to a stint in journalism.