Chess player ‘poisoned rival by smearing pieces with mercury before match’
Her friends say her alleged behaviour is 'completely out of character'.
Security camera footage caught the moment a Russian chess star allegedly poisoned her younger female rival with mercury at a tournament.
Champion Amina Abakarova, 40, confessed to pouring mercury near the board where her long-time foe Umayganat Osmanova, 30, was to play.
Osmanova became ill with ‘severe dizziness and nausea’ after playing in the Dagestan Chess Championship in Makhachkala, southern Russia.
Abakarova is accused of secretly pouring the mercury from a thermometer on her rival’s board – and smearing it with a chess piece.
The tournament’s judge reported the incident to police, and a later check of CCTV cameras appeared to show Abakarova near the board.
She has been detained and faces a prison sentence of up to three years if convicted.
Minister of sport in Dagestan Sazhida Sazhidova said: ‘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.’
Abakarova said her motive was ‘personal hostility’ to Osmanova, who had recently beaten her in a regional contest, said reports citing law enforcement.
She allegedly accused Osmanova of being rude about her and her relatives behind her back.
Last year, Abakarova won the North Caucasus Federal District Chess Championship in Pyatigorsk.
She works as a chess coach and teaches at a school in Makhachkala, while her rival Osmanova runs her own chess school.
After the poisoning, Osmanova continued to participate in the tournament – and won a prize.
She is pressing for ‘maximum punishment’ for Abakarova over the poisoning.
Abakarova faces charges of ‘intentional infliction of bodily harm’.
Her friends say her alleged behaviour is ‘completely out of character’.
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