Russian chess player accused of attempting to poison rival before match: Watch video

A Russian chess player is under investigation for allegedly attempting to poison another player ahead of a match last week.

Security video shows the chess player Amina Abakarova smearing what is alleged to be mercury on a chess board later used by rival Umaiganat Osmanova.

Osmanova said she began feeling unwell soon later, complaining of nausea and dizziness, and security camera footage of the incident launched a police investigation into Abakarova, an article from Chess.com said.

Watch as chess player allegedly tries to poison opponent

Attempted poisoning happened during tournament

The incident occurred during a tournament in Russia's Dagestan region on Friday, according to a statement posted to Telegram by Republic of Dagestan sports minister Sazhid Sazhidov. No one else was harmed in the incident, and the tournament is scheduled to be completed Thursday, according to Sazhidov.

"The motives of such an experienced competitor as Amina Abakarova are incomprehensible," Sazhidov said. "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."

The statement was linked to a post by Baza, a Telegram news channel, and included a security video.

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Poisoned player shares her experience

"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.

She told the Russian newspaper Izvestia that she saw "some tiny balls" rolling out under her board, and had no idea what it was until she realized it could have been mercury , NBC News reported. That was when she alerted the organizers.

Abakarova has reportedly said she wanted to "knock her opponent out of the tournament," Russian media RTVI reported. A police report quoted by Russian media said Abakarova's plan was to scare Osmanova, not harm her.

Abakarova has now been detained by police and is facing up to three years in jail, according to The Mirror .  Andrey Filatov, the President of the Russian Chess Federation, has also confirmed that Abakarova is temporarily suspended from Russian chess events, pending an investigation into the incident. She is potentially facing a lifetime ban.

What is mercury poisoning?

Mercury is a naturally occurring element and is a silver liquid at room temperature. It is used in several products, including in manufacturing electronics, and can be found in fish.

Mercury is dangerous for humans to breathe and consume. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, all forms of mercury can affect the nervous system and kidneys.

If inhaled, mercury can cause permanent lung damage and brain damage, according to the Cleveland Clinic, and large amounts of mercury or long-term exposure can lead to death if not treated.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Russian chess player accused of attempting to poison rival before match: Watch video