In a startling incident that has sent waves through the chess community, a female chess player in Russia may face a lifetime ban after allegedly attempting to poison her opponent during a tournament in Makhachkala, Dagestan.
According to the Russian Chess Federation (RCF), the incident occurred at a chess tournament in Makhachkala, where player Umaiganat Osmanova fell ill after someone allegedly spilled drops of mercury near her chessboard. The RCF has confirmed that they are waiting for the results of the investigation by law enforcement bodies, and if the other chess player is found guilty, the federation’s reaction will be “stiff, possibly a lifetime ban.”
Sazhid Sazhidov, the president of the Russian Republic of Dagestan for Physical Culture and Sports, has also confirmed the incident, stating that they 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 Umaiganat Osmanova from the city of Kaspiisk was set to play against her.”
Russian outlet Mash reported that Abakarova, not the smoothest criminal, had asked organizers if the security cameras were functioning 20 minutes before the competition started.
Security footage allegedly shows Abakarova sprinkling a substance, later identified as mercury, on Osmanova’s table. Osmanova noticed the mercury when a piece emerged from under the chessboard, causing her to experience symptoms like a metallic taste and difficulty breathing. Abakarova had reportedly been bitter after losing to Osmanova in a previous tournament, leading to suspicions of intentional harm.
“In the first minutes, I felt a lack of air and a taste of iron in my mouth,” Osmanova told RTV1. “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.”
“I still feel bad,” Osmanova added.
The RCF has expressed deep disappointment over the incident, with its Executive Director, Alexander Tkachyov, saying, “We regret that such an incident took place at a chess tournament. We have no doubt that law enforcement bodies will get to the bottom of the incident and we wish the injured player a quick recovery and that she is back at a chessboard as soon as possible.”
The chess community has been left stunned by this unprecedented event, with many questioning the motives behind such a heinous act. The RCF has made it clear that they will not tolerate any form of foul play or unsportsmanlike conduct, and that the perpetrator will face severe consequences if found guilty.
