Chinese judoka Tang Jing was disqualified from the women’s under-70kg tournament at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games after biting the arm of her Japanese opponent, Rin Maeda. The incident occurred during their quarterfinal match on Thursday, October 1, 2026, at the Aichi International Arena in Nagoya.
Just over a minute into the contest, Maeda attempted a hold-down technique on Tang. While tangled on the mat, Tang bit down hard on Maeda’s left forearm through her judogi. Maeda broke the hold, rolled up her sleeve, and showed the referee distinct, visible teeth marks just above her wrist.
Following a video replay review by the referee panel, Tang was handed a hansoku-make (disqualification by foul) for “unsportsmanlike behaviour” and violating the spirit of judo.
Tang initially contested the decision, claiming it was an accidental touch of the mouth, before reluctantly shaking hands and leaving the mat. Tang skipped mixed-zone media interviews and refused to compete in the subsequent repechage round, giving her opponent a walkover victory and forfeiting her chance to win a bronze medal.
Undeterred by the bite, Rin Maeda progressed through the brackets to win the gold medal in the event.
Maki Tsukada, the head coach of Japan’s women’s judo team, expressed complete shock at the injury, noting that clear tooth marks resembling bruises were left on Maeda’s skin. She remarked that the incident was completely unprecedented in her career.
