Russian Chess Official Dies at 36 After Suspected Malaria Infection in Nigeria
Russian chess official Sergei Indeikin has died at 36 after reportedly falling seriously ill with malaria following a work trip to Nigeria.
Indeikin travelled to Abuja earlier this month for the FIDE World Amateur Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships, held from August 1 to 8.
He served as an operational manager and delegate of the International Chess Federation, FIDE, and was listed among officials involved in the tournament.
FIDE announced his death on August 23, describing his passing as the result of a sudden illness.
The international chess body, however, did not disclose the illness responsible for his death.
Reports from Russian media later linked his death to severe malaria, allegedly contracted during his time in Nigeria.
According to RBC, Indeikin’s mother, Tatiana, said her son developed an extremely severe and rapidly progressing illness.
She said he was taken to hospital after returning to Perm, but his condition had already deteriorated badly.
Another Russian publication, Argumenty i Fakty, reported that Indeikin travelled from Abuja to Uzbekistan before becoming seriously ill.
His father, Alexander, said information from his son’s FIDE colleagues suggested malaria may have been responsible.
Indeikin later travelled through Moscow to Perm, where his health deteriorated further.
An ambulance was eventually called, and he was admitted to hospital, but doctors were unable to save him.
Russian media reports said his relatives and colleagues believed he contracted malaria while in Nigeria.
Lenta.ru also reported that a mosquito bite during the chess tournament was suspected to have transmitted the malaria parasite.
Medical expert Professor Alexander Lukashev explained that malaria can be transmitted through infected mosquito bites in Nigeria and other tropical regions.
Indeikin had worked with FIDE since 2021 and contributed to the organisation of several major international chess competitions.
His assignments included World Championship matches, World Cups, Candidates tournaments and World Rapid and Blitz Championships.
FIDE described him as a valued member of its operations team who travelled extensively to support major international chess events.
He is survived by his wife and daughter.
Despite the reports linking his death to malaria contracted in Nigeria, FIDE has not independently confirmed malaria as the official cause of death.
