<The world of chess has been rocked after a Russian chess champion attempted to poison her childhood rival by covering her pieces in deadly mercury.Now facing a possible prison sentence, Amina Abakarova, 43, was caught on a security camera smearing her rival’s pieces with the substance ahead of a tournament in Makhachkala, southern Russia last week.
According to the World Health Organisation, even minor exposure to mercury can have serious health consequences.
In the shocking footage, Ms Abakarova can be seen looking suspiciously around a room full of chess boards to ensure no one else was present.
She then approaches her opponent’s table, takes what appears to be a vial from her bag, and pours the substance on the pieces before looking around the room again.
The victim required medical treatment after experiencing “severe dizziness and nausea” during the game, but she was able to continue with the tournament.
It is claimed that Ms Abakarova poisoned Umayganat Osmanova in an act of revenge after she insulted her last Friday.
She is now facing up to three years behind bars for the incident.
Sazhid Sazhidov, a Dagistani sports official, said: “We have video proof showing that one of the players at the Dagestani chess championship, Amina Abakarova from the city of Makhachkala, applied an unidentified substance, which later turned out to contain mercury, to the table where Umayganat Osmanova from the city of Kaspiisk was set to play against her.”....>
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