Russian chess official, Sergei Indeikin, has died at the age of 36 after reportedly developing a severe form of malaria following a work trip to Nigeria.
Indeikin, who served as an operational manager and delegate of the International Chess Federation, FIDE, travelled to Abuja earlier in August for the FIDE World Amateur Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships.
FIDE’s coverage of the competition confirmed his presence in Abuja, where he was listed among the officials involved in the tournament. The championship was held from August 1 to 8.
FIDE announced Indeikin’s death on August 23, describing it as the result of a “sudden illness” without publicly identifying the specific medical condition.
However, Russian business newspaper RBC, citing Indeikin’s mother, Tatiana, reported that he had contracted a severe form of malaria while on the work trip.
His mother said he was taken to hospital after returning to Perm, but his condition had already deteriorated significantly.
“It was a very rapidly progressing illness. The most severe form,” she was quoted as saying by RBC.
Russian newspaper Argumenty i Fakty, AIF, also reported that Indeikin travelled to Abuja before proceeding to Uzbekistan, where he began experiencing health problems.
His father, Alexander, told the publication that information provided by his son’s colleagues at FIDE suggested that malaria could have been responsible for his condition.
Indeikin later travelled through Moscow to his home city of Perm, where his health reportedly worsened. An ambulance was called and he was subsequently admitted to hospital, but efforts to save his life were unsuccessful.
AIF reported that relatives and colleagues believed he contracted the illness during his time in Nigeria.
The newspaper also quoted medical expert Professor Alexander Lukashev as explaining that malaria can be transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito in Nigeria and other tropical regions.
Other Russian media organisations, including Lenta.ru, reported that Indeikin was bitten by a mosquito while attending the chess tournament in Nigeria and that the bite was suspected to have transmitted the malaria parasite.
Indeikin had been involved in FIDE events since 2021 and played a role in organising several major international competitions, including World Championship matches, World Cups, Candidates tournaments and World Rapid and Blitz Championships.
FIDE described him as an important member of its operations team who travelled extensively to help ensure that major chess events were successfully organised.
He is survived by his wife and daughter.
However, while Indeikin’s family and several Russian media reports have linked his illness to severe malaria allegedly contracted during his trip to Nigeria, FIDE has officially attributed his death only to a sudden illness and has not independently confirmed malaria as the medical cause of death.
‘Russian chess official dies after malaria infection during trip to Nigeria’