Accusations have surfaced against a Russian chess champion, alleging she attempted to poison a competitor prior to a tournament performance.
Amina Abakarova was captured on CCTV at the Dagestan Chess Championship in Makhachkala, located in southern Russia. The footage shows her suspicious actions just before her rival, Umayganat Osmanova, was due to play.
The CCTV footage reveals Abakarova placing a bag under a table, glancing around, and then moving towards another chess board.
At that moment, the room was still largely empty. The 40-year-old is seen touching the pieces and wiping the board before walking away, again checking her surroundings.
Shortly after Osmanova, who is 30, began her game, she experienced ‘severe dizziness and nausea’.
A judge at the event alerted the police, and subsequent reviews of the CCTV confirmed Abakarova’s suspicious actions.
Authorities claim Abakarova admitted to pouring mercury from a thermometer near the board where Osmanova was to play.
Abakarova, who won the North Caucasus Federal District Chess Championship in Pyatigorsk last year, cited ‘personal hostility’ towards Osmanova as her motive.
Reports indicate that Osmanova recently defeated Abakarova in a regional competition, and Abakarova believed Osmanova had spoken ill of her and her family.
Following the alleged poisoning, Abakarova was detained and now faces charges of ‘intentional infliction of bodily harm’.
Sazhida Sazhidova, Minister of Sport in Dagestan, commented, “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.”
Despite the alleged sabotage attempt, Osmanova continued to compete in the tournament and even won a prize.
Osmanova, who runs her own chess school, is now calling for the ‘maximum punishment’ for Abakarova.
Abakarova, a chess coach at a school in Makhachkala, could face up to three years in prison if convicted.
Friends of Abakarova have stated that her alleged actions are ‘completely out of character’.