In a disturbing turn of events, Russian chess player Amina Abakarova has been suspended after allegedly poisoning her childhood rival, Umayganat Osmanova, by pouring mercury over her chess pieces during a tournament. According to ‘The Post’, Abakarova has been arrested and could face a minimum of three years in prison if found guilty.
Viral CCTV footage captured the chess player entering the event venue in Makhachkala, located in southern Russia. As the video unfolds, she is seen preparing for the act. She glances around, approaches her opponent’s table, retrieves something from her bag, and then pours a ‘substance’ on the chessboard and pieces.
UNITED24 Media shared the footage on X, commenting, “A chess tournament in the Russian republic of Dagestan took a dramatic turn when a player was accused of poisoning her opponent with mercury. Amina Abakarova approached her opponent’s table before the start of the match and spilled mercury near the chessboard.”
Watch:
A chess tournament in the Russian republic of Dagestan took a dramatic turn when a player was accused of poisoning her opponent with mercury.
Amina Abakarova approached her opponent’s table before the start of the match and spilled mercury near the chessboard. pic.twitter.com/vh2YpVmpDU
— UNITED24 Media (@United24media) August 7, 2024
In a follow-up post, the handle added, “Umaiganat Osmanova fell ill during the tournament and required medical attention. Abakarova was subsequently detained.”
Dagestan’s minister of sport, Sazhida Sazhidova, expressed her shock to *Mirror US*, stating, “Like many others, I am perplexed by what happened, and the motives of such an experienced competitor as Amina Abakarova are incomprehensible. The actions she took could have led to a most tragic outcome, threatening the lives of everyone who was present, including herself. Now she must answer for what she did by the law.”
During the investigation, Abakarova admitted that her motive for the poisoning was “personal hostility” stemming from a previous defeat by Umayganat Osmanova in a regional competition.