‘Russian chess official dies after malaria infection during trip to Nigeria’

Russian chess official Sergei Indeikin, aged 36, passed away following a severe case of malaria contracted during a work trip to Nigeria. Indeikin, who held the position of an operational manager and delegate for the International Chess Federation, FIDE, had traveled to Abuja in August to participate in the FIDE World Amateur Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships.

The tournament took place from August 1 to 8. FIDE disclosed his demise on August 23, describing it as a sudden illness, though they did not specify the exact medical cause. According to Russian business newspaper RBC and Russian newspaper Argumenty i Fakty, Indeikin fell severely ill after returning to Perm, Russia, from his trip.

His father, Alexander, mentioned that colleagues at FIDE indicated malaria might have been responsible for his condition. Indeikin's family and friends believed that he contracted the illness while in Nigeria, possibly after being bitten by a mosquito during the chess tournament. While FIDE officially attributed his death to a sudden illness, they have not independently confirmed malaria as the cause of death.

Indeikin had been active in FIDE events since 2021, contributing to the organization of numerous significant international chess competitions. He is survived by his wife and daughter.