LONDON — A Russian chess player has been suspended from participating in all competitions after being accused of trying to poison her opponent’s pieces, officials have announced.
Amina Abakarova is now under investigation by the Russian Chess Federation regarding her alleged plot against a rival during the Dagestan Republic Championship in Makhachkala; the capital of Russia’s Dagestan republic.
Andrey Filatov, the president of the Russian Chess Federation, said the organization is temporarily suspending Abakarova — who is from Dagestan — from all of its competitions until law enforcement agencies conclude their probe. Punishment could include a lifetime disqualification, Filatov said. Abakarova may even face criminal charges.
Dagestan Sports Minister Sazhid Sazhidov said in a statement that Abakarova had “treated the table at which she was sitting with an unknown substance, which later turned out to be mercury compounds.” Her opponent was fellow Dagestani Umaiganat Osmanov, Sazhidov said.
Sazhidov added that he was “perplexed by what happened, and the motives that guided such an experienced athlete as Amina Abakarova are also incomprehensible to me.”
“The actions she committed could have led to the saddest outcome; they threatened the lives of everyone who was in the chess house, including herself. Now she will have to answer for what she did before the law.”
ABC News’ Will Gretsky contributed to this report.
During the recent World Chess Championship held in Moscow, Russia, accusations of a poison plot against one of the top Russian chess players have sent shockwaves through the chess community. The player in question, whose identity has not been disclosed, allegedly fell ill during a crucial match and had to be rushed to the hospital.
According to reports, the player exhibited symptoms of poisoning, including nausea, dizziness, and difficulty breathing. Doctors at the hospital where the player was taken confirmed that they found traces of a toxic substance in the player’s system, leading to suspicions of foul play.
The incident has sparked a wave of speculation and conspiracy theories among chess enthusiasts and experts. Some believe that the poisoning was a deliberate attempt to sabotage the player’s performance in the championship, while others suspect that it may have been a case of accidental contamination.
The Russian Chess Federation has launched an investigation into the matter, vowing to get to the bottom of the alleged poison plot. They have also increased security measures at the championship venue to prevent any further incidents.
The news of the poison plot has cast a shadow over what was supposed to be a celebration of the world’s top chess players competing at the highest level. The incident serves as a reminder of the intense pressure and competitiveness that comes with professional chess tournaments, where players are constantly under scrutiny and subject to intense psychological warfare.
As the investigation unfolds, the chess community is left wondering about the motives behind the alleged poison plot and what impact it will have on the future of the championship. Will security measures be tightened even further to prevent similar incidents from happening again? Will the player who was targeted be able to recover and continue competing in the championship?
Only time will tell how this shocking turn of events will affect the outcome of the World Chess Championship and the reputation of professional chess as a whole. In the meantime, players and fans alike are left to grapple with the unsettling reality that even in the world of chess, where strategy and intellect reign supreme, there are those who will stop at nothing to gain an advantage.
