"Clear Bite Marks on Arm" Chinese Judo Athlete Disqualified for 'Cannibal Attack' on Japanese Opponent at Asian Games

Tang Jing Expresses Displeasure at Decision, Skips Repechage Round
Maeda Overcomes Unexpected Incident, Wins Gold in Final

An unusual incident occurred during the Asian Games judo competition when a Chinese athlete was disqualified for biting the opponent's arm. The victim's arm reportedly showed clear bite marks even beneath the tape. On October 1, Japanese sports media outlets including The Digest and Daily Sports reported that during an Asian Games judo match, a Chinese athlete bit the arm of a Japanese athlete and was immediately disqualified for a foul.

In an unusual incident at the Asian Games judo competition, a Chinese athlete was disqualified for biting the opponent's arm. SNS

The incident happened during the women's 70kg quarterfinal at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, held at the Aichi International Arena in Japan, in the match between Japan's Rin Maeda and China's Tang Jing. From the beginning, Maeda took control of the match, attempting to secure a hold on Tang Jing about one minute in. As both players grappled closely, a sudden situation arose.

After the referee called for a pause, Maeda stood up and pointed to her left arm, appealing to the referee by showing her sleeve and the taped area. She claimed that Tang Jing had bitten her arm. Upon investigating the situation, the referees declared a disqualification for Tang Jing due to a foul. The official tournament record stated that Maeda achieved an ippon victory just 1 minute and 12 seconds into the match, while Tang Jing was marked with a loss due to foul play. According to local reports in Japan, Maeda's arm bore a visible bite mark. Notably, even though her left arm was taped at the time, traces of the bite were clear on the skin beneath.

The Digest even described the scene as reminiscent of a "Suarez of judo," referencing Uruguayan football star Luis Suarez, who earned the nickname "The Cannibal" after biting opponents multiple times during matches. Japanese online communities also reacted critically, with comments such as "I've never seen anything like this in judo," and "This is violence, not sports."

Maeda remained unshaken despite unexpected sudden circumstances. After defeating North Korea's Mun Seong-hee in the semifinals to advance to the finals, he succeeded twice against Kazakhstan's Azhar Ashkhat, achieving a one-point victory in total. AP Yonhap News

After being disqualified for a foul, Tang Jing reportedly appeared confused by the decision. Her specific response to the situation has not been confirmed, even after the match. The Digest attempted to speak with Tang Jing in the mixed zone, but she replied only, "No," before leaving the area. Tang Jing was scheduled to compete in the repechage round against India's Inungambi Takhellambam, but did not participate, resulting in a default loss.

Meanwhile, Maeda remained unshaken despite the unexpected turn of events. After defeating North Korea's Mun Seonghee in the semifinals to advance to the finals, she successfully executed two techniques against Kazakhstan's Azhar Ashkhat and achieved an ippon victory overall.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.