A Russian chess champion has been suspended from competing after she was filmed allegedly tampering with another player’s game pieces and contaminating a chessboard with mercury.
The Russian Chess Federation on Wednesday issued a statement claiming competitor Amina Abakarova attempted to poison another participant at the Dagestan Republic Championship in the city of Makhachkala on Aug. 2.
Abakarova, who has won the Dagestan chess tournament in the past, was temporarily suspended from competing. If found guilty in a criminal investigation, the chess federation said she will face a punishment “as harsh as possible,” namely a lifetime disqualification.
Abakarova, 43, may also face criminal charges.
The chess federation statement included a reference to surveillance camera footage of the alleged poisoning incident obtained by the Russian-language Telegram channel, Baza.
In the 35-second video, a woman who resembles Abakarova is seen walking through a room of tables preset with chess boards. She approaches one desk at the edge of the room and removes something from her personal bag. The woman looks over her shoulder once, then appears to spill something over the chessboard before walking away.
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During the actual tournament, competitor Umaiganat Osmanova fell ill.
On Wednesday, the state news organization Tass reported Osmanova sat at the chessboard that appeared to have been tampered with in the security video.
The Ministry of Sports for the Republic of Dagestan, where the chess tournament was held, confirmed Osmanova was poisoned with a substance that contained mercury.
Osmanova told the Russian newspaper Izvestia she was “breathing deeply and could not get enough air” while sitting in front of the chessboard. She described seeing “some tiny balls” around the game board, but initially did not realize what the substance was.
Osmanova maintains that Abakarova intentionally poisoned her with mercury.
There are several different kinds of mercury, but exposure to the chemical element can lead to dangerous health issues, including respiratory ailments, kidney failure, gastrointestinal damage and potential death.
Sazhid Sazhidov, the president of Dagestan’s Sports Ministry, said Osmanova required medical attention during the tournament.
“Like many, I am perplexed by what happened, the motives that guided such an experienced athlete as Amina Abakarova are also incomprehensible to me,” Sazhidov wrote in Russian. “Now she will have to answer for what she has done before the law.”
The Russian Chess Federation said it will wait for confirmation from law enforcement agencies before making a decision on Abakarova’s future involvement within the organization.
Alexander Tkachyov, the federation’s executive director, told Tass he has “no doubt” that officials will uncover whether or not the poisoning allegations are legitimate.
“We wish the injured player a quick recovery and that she is back at a chessboard as soon as possible,” Tkachyov said.
The investigation is ongoing, and it is unclear if Abakarova is in police custody.
No one else was injured during the chess tournament, which was later suspended as a result of the poisoning allegations.
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