Former FIDE vice-president Georgios Makropoulos dies at 72

Former International Chess Federation (FIDE) vice-president Georgios Makropoulos has died at the age of 72, the European Chess Union has said.

The cause of death has not been disclosed, Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.

The association stated that for many years, Makropoulos was one of the most influential figures in international chess.

“For decades, Georgios Makropoulos was one of the most influential figures in FIDE and international chess: a respected chess administrator and outstanding organiser who devoted his life to the development of our sport,” the statement noted.

In 2018, Makropoulos ran for the FIDE presidency, but Russian candidate Arkady Dvorkovich was elected to the post. He headed the Greek Chess Federation from 1982 to 2021.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov