A Russian chess player is facing possible jail time and criminal charges after she allegedly used liquid mercury from a broken thermometer to poison a rival player during a large tournament earlier this month.
As reported by Chess.com, 40-year-old chess coach Amina Abakarova has been accused of poisoning 30-year-old player Umayganat Osmanova during the Dagestan Chess Championship on August 2. About 30 minutes into playing in the tournament, Osmanova alerted officials that she was feeling sick, complaining of nausea and dizziness. Doctors were called and they deduced that she had likely been poisoned. Officials checked security footage and discovered Abakarova allegedly poisoning Osmanova’s chess board.
In footage released online, you can see Abakarova enter an area filled with chess boards and empty chairs. Before the tournament had started, the chess pro walked over to where Osmanova was scheduled to play and then smeared liquid mercury—allegedly from a broken thermometer—onto the table and board. Reportedly, before the incident, she had asked officials if there were security cameras in the area and had been told no.
After police were notified by the tournament’s officials and reviewed the footage, they arrested Abakarova.
“I still feel bad. In the first minutes, I felt a lack of air and a taste of iron in my mouth. I had to spend about five hours on this board. I don’t know what would have happened to me if I hadn’t seen it earlier,” Osmanova told Russia Today.
Two other people reportedly suffered similar symptoms from the mercury.
Chess.com reports that Abakarova has confessed that she wanted to “knock her opponent out of the tournament.” The week before the poisoning, Osmanova had won a different chess event, beating Abakarova. Osmanova allegedly didn’t want to harm her rival, but just wanted to scare her, according to a police report.
Abakarova is currently being held by police, and faces up to three years of jail time. The Russian Chess Federation has temporarily banned the pro from future chess events as it investigates the situation. It’s reported she could receive a lifetime ban.
“Like many others, I am perplexed by what happened, and the motives of such an experienced competitor as Amina Abakarova are incomprehensible,” said Dagestan’s Minster of Sports.
Osmanova recovered after being poisoned and continued to play in the tournament, eventually finishing in second place.
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