Former Vice President of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) Georgios Makropoulos has died at the age of 73, according to a statement released on September 15 by the Greek Chess Federation.
“The Greek Chess Federation is deeply saddened to announce the passing of Georgios Makropoulos, Honorary President of the Federation, at the age of 73,” the statement said. “He was one of the most important figures in both Greek and international chess.”
The federation expressed its condolences to the family of Makropoulos and the entire chess community, to which he dedicated a significant portion of his life. They also promised to provide updates regarding arrangements for his funeral.
Born in 1953, Makropoulos was a Greek chess player, journalist, and sports official. He became the champion of Greece seven times and represented his country in three Chess Olympiads. In 1979, he earned the title of International Master.
In 1982, he assumed leadership as head of the Greek Chess Federation. Within FIDE, he held multiple roles: Vice President from 1986 to 1990, General Secretary from 1990 to 1996, and Deputy President from 1996 to 2018. In 2018, Makropoulos ran for president of FIDE but was defeated by Arkady Dvorkovich. He was again elected Vice President in 2022 and also serves as Honorary President of FIDE.
