A bizarre foul marred the women's judo competition at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.
Chinese national team judoka Tang Jing bit the left arm of her Japanese opponent, Maeda Rin, during the women's 70-kilogram quarterfinals at Aichi International Arena in Nagoya, Japan, on the 1st.
Tang bit Maeda near the wrist while struggling to escape a hold-down. She appeared to resort to biting after failing to break free with a technique. Maeda released the hold and immediately showed her arm to the referee, complaining of pain. Teeth marks were clearly visible on her arm. After assessing the situation, the officials disqualified Tang.
Despite the incident, Maeda won her semifinal and final matches to claim the gold medal. "It hurt, but I was able to forget about it once I got into the next matches," she said after the competition.
Tang, by contrast, declined interview requests in the mixed zone and left after her match.
Japanese media outlets have criticized Tang for the unsportsmanlike foul. Sports Hochi reported that Tang left without apologizing and that criticism of her was mounting online. Nikkan Sports said Maeda won gold despite the shock of being bitten by her Chinese opponent.
