Russian chess official dies after malaria mosquito bite in Nigeria

By Tolulope Oke

Russian chess official Sergei Indeikin has died at the age of 36 after reportedly contracting a severe form of malaria during a work trip to Nigeria.

Indeikin was an operational manager and delegate of the International Chess Federation and had travelled to Abuja earlier in August for the FIDE World Amateur Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships.

FIDE’s own coverage of the tournament confirms that Indeikin was present in Abuja as its delegate. The championship ran from August 1 to 8, with the federation listing him among officials at the event.

The International Chess Federation announced his death on August 23, saying he died following a “sudden illness,” but did not specify the illness responsible.

Russian business newspaper RBC, citing Indeikin’s mother, Tatiana, reported that the 36-year-old had contracted a severe form of malaria during a work trip.

According to his mother, he was admitted to hospital after returning to the Russian city of Perm, but his condition had already become critical.

“It was a very rapidly progressing illness. The most severe form,” she said, according to RBC.

Russian newspaper Argumenty i Fakty (AIF) reported that Indeikin had travelled to Abuja shortly before his death and later went to Uzbekistan, where he began feeling unwell.

His father, Alexander, told the newspaper that the symptoms described to him by his son’s FIDE colleagues pointed to malaria.

Indeikin subsequently travelled back through Moscow to Perm, where his condition deteriorated. An ambulance was called and he was hospitalised, but doctors were unable to save him.

AIF also reported that colleagues and relatives believed Indeikin contracted the disease in Nigeria.

The newspaper cited medical expert Professor Alexander Lukashev as saying malaria can be contracted through the bite of an infected mosquito in Nigeria and other tropical countries.

Other Russian outlets, including Lenta.ru, reported that Indeikin was bitten by a mosquito while attending the tournament in Nigeria, with malaria suspected to have been transmitted through the bite.

Indeikin had worked at FIDE events since 2021 and was involved in organising some of the organisation’s biggest competitions, including World Championship matches, World Cups, Candidates tournaments and World Rapid and Blitz Championships.

FIDE described him as an integral member of its operations team who travelled extensively to ensure major tournaments were professionally organised.

He is survived by his wife and daughter.

While Indeikin’s family and several Russian media reports have identified severe malaria contracted during his Nigeria trip as the cause of his illness, FIDE itself has officially described his death only as resulting from a sudden illness and has not publicly confirmed malaria as the medical cause of death.