Chinese judoka Tang Jing was disqualified from the Asian Games after being accused of biting the forearm of Japanese competitor Rin Maeda during their quarter-final contest in Nagoya. The incident occurred during the women`s under-70 kilogram division bout, creating an abrupt halt to the tournament bracket. Officials intervened moments after the two competitors separated from an intense floor hold.
Referees conducted an immediate video review of the confrontation.
Upon breaking free from the hold, 21-year-old Maeda rolled up her left judogi sleeve to display a visible bite mark located directly above her wrist. Maki Tsukada, Maeda`s head coach, later told reporters that the indentation on the athlete`s skin was distinct enough to look as though it might break into bleeding. Tournament officials reviewed slow-motion replays from multiple broadcast angles before issuing a direct disqualification against Tang for unsportsmanlike behavior.
Tang, a 31-year-old veteran who previously secured three Asian Games medals, initially registered verbal objections with the officiating panel. She subsequently performed the customary post-match handshake with Maeda and walked out of the competition hall, declining to participate in post-fight media interviews.
Maeda maintained composure to capture the division`s gold medal.
The Japanese athlete advanced through the remaining rounds, eventually defeating Kazakhstan`s Azhar Askhat in the final to claim top honors on home soil. Speaking following the medal ceremony, Maeda stated that encountering an alleged bite was an unprecedented situation in her competitive career. She acknowledged feeling localized pain at the moment of contact, though the physical sensation was overtaken by the intensity of competing on the mat.
The tournament technical delegates concluded the official scoring records by noting Tang`s disqualification under the international federation`s strict sportsmanship statutes. The matter remains archived in the official competition logs as the games proceed into the final week of martial arts disciplines.
