In a startling turn of events, a chess player was filmed placing a suspicious substance on the chessboard and pieces of her opponent. Allegedly, Russian chess champion Amina Abakarova applied mercury to the chessboard and pieces, which reportedly caused her rival, Umayganat Osmanova, to feel nauseous and dizzy shortly after the tournament began.
Dailymail shared footage of Abakarova in the act, noting, “Russian chess champion Amina Abakarova was caught on CCTV allegedly trying to POISON her rival. The 43-year-old is accused of smearing mercury on 30-year-old Umayganat Osmanova’s chess board and pieces, which caused her to become dizzy and nauseated shortly after the tournament started. Osmanova was hospitalized, and Abakarova was stripped of her title.”
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The video shows Abakarova in a room where chess boards are set up. She first checks her surroundings and then proceeds to smear a substance across the chessboard and pieces before leaving the room.
The unsettling video has gone viral, amassing numerous views and comments. Reactions include, “She tried a real-life checkmate,” and, “There are cameras everywhere. Always act like you are being recorded.” Others reacted with surprise, such as, “Over a game of chess? Come on!” and questioned, “She was stripped of her title, but was she arrested?”
According to Wion, Abakarova, a 42-year-old chess coach from Dagestan, Russia, faces a lifetime ban and potential imprisonment. Dagestan’s Minister of Sport, Sazhida Sazhidova, remarked, “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.”
