A Russian chess administrator, Sergei Indeikin, has died at the age of 36 after reportedly falling seriously ill with malaria following a professional trip to Nigeria.
Indeikin, who worked as an operational manager and delegate for the International Chess Federation, FIDE, was among officials involved in the World Amateur Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships in Abuja.
The tournament, which attracted players and officials from different countries, took place between August 1 and 8, with FIDE records confirming Indeikin’s involvement in the event.
FIDE announced his death on August 23 but did not state that malaria was responsible, saying only that the 36-year-old died following a sudden illness.
Reports from Russian media, however, attributed his death to complications from severe malaria allegedly contracted while he was in Nigeria.
RBC, citing his mother, Tatiana, reported that Indeikin was admitted to hospital after arriving back in Perm, but his condition had already become critical.
His mother reportedly described the illness as one that progressed rapidly and was in its most severe form.
Russian newspaper Argumenty i Fakty also reported that Indeikin left Abuja for Uzbekistan, where he began experiencing health complications before travelling through Moscow to Perm.
His father, Alexander, was quoted as saying that information from his son’s FIDE colleagues indicated that malaria could have caused the illness.
Other Russian publications reported that Indeikin may have been bitten by an infected mosquito during his stay in Abuja, although the claim has not been independently established.
Medical experts cited by the Russian media explained that malaria is transmitted through the bite of infected mosquitoes and can cause severe illness if not treated promptly.
Indeikin had been part of FIDE’s operations since 2021 and contributed to the organisation of several major international competitions, including World Championship matches, World Cups, Candidates tournaments and Rapid and Blitz Championships.
FIDE described him as a committed member of its operations team whose extensive travels helped facilitate major chess events around the world.
He is survived by his wife and daughter.
FIDE has not officially confirmed malaria as the cause of death, meaning the reported link between Indeikin’s illness and his time in Nigeria remains based on accounts from his relatives and Russian media reports.