Russian chess official Sergei Indeikin, 36, dies after falling ill following a work trip to Nigeria. Multiple outlets report he developed a severe form of malaria after travelling to Abuja for FIDE-related duties. FIDE later announces his death without naming a specific diagnosis.
FIDE confirms Indeikin’s presence among the officials for the FIDE World Amateur Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships in Abuja, held August 1–8. According to Russian reports cited by local Nigerian media, Indeikin’s family says his illness rapidly worsened after returning to his home region, with relatives and colleagues suggesting malaria may have been contracted in Nigeria. Some reports describe a suspected mosquito bite during the tournament in Abuja, while others attribute the illness more generally to malaria in line with accounts from relatives.
Across the coverage, the main difference is how the cause is described: Russian media and family accounts link the death to suspected severe malaria, while FIDE attributes it only to a “sudden illness” and does not independently confirm malaria.