Renowned sports and literary figure Shaikh Isa bin Rashid Al Khalifa has died, aged 82.
Shaikh Isa was most known for his role as Bahrain Football Association president, a role which he held from 1974 to 1988, which is the longest time anyone has held the position, and was later named an honorary president.
Shaikh Isa was born in 1939 in Muharraq and joined the Faculty of Law at Ain Shams University, Cairo, where he graduated in 1963.
He worked as a Judge in Bahrain courts from 1963 to 1968. In 1968, he joined the National Guard as a legal advisor before being appointed deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Bahrain Defence Force and then Defence Ministry undersecretary until 1976. He was appointed Information Ministry undersecretary from 1976 to 1988.
He served as General Organisation for Youth and Sports president with the rank of Minister in 1988 and was head of the Bahrain Sports Club in Muharraq for several years, later becoming an honorary president.
He became president of the Bahrain Football Association in 1973 and was appointed head of the Bahrain Olympic Committee, and served on the international jury of the Bahrain Olympic Committee.
Shaikh Isa was also a pioneer in the writing of the popular poem, which contributed to the success of the Bahraini song. He also had literary, poetic and cultural contributions.
He received several honors and distinctions, including the Order of Shaikh Isa bin Salman, First Class; the Order of Bahrain, First Class; Kuwait State National Defence Medal; International Olympic Committee Silver Medal and Olympic Gold Medal of Distinction.
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