China’s Tang Jing was disqualified after appearing to bite Japan’s Rin Maeda during their Asian Games quarter-final, with Maeda later winning gold.
Web Desk: Chinese judoka Tang Jing was disqualified during the women’s under-70kg quarter-final at the Asian Games in Nagoya after appearing to bite Japanese opponent Rin Maeda during their contest.
Maeda was awarded the victory after officials reviewed footage of the incident. She subsequently continued through the competition and won the gold medal in the category.
Apparent Bite Leads to Disqualification
The incident occurred during Thursday’s quarter-final at the Aichi International Arena.
Tang appeared to bite Maeda just above the wrist while the two athletes were engaged on the ground. After the exchange, Maeda showed the referee visible marks on her arm. Officials then reviewed the footage before disqualifying Tang for unsportsmanlike conduct.
The available reports describe the action as an apparent bite, with the decision ultimately made after video review.
Japanese Coach Describes Unusual Incident
Japan women’s judo coach Maki Tsukada said she had never witnessed anything similar during her long involvement in the sport.
Tsukada said the marks remained visible despite Maeda having protective tape over the affected part of her arm. She said the marks were clear but did not require disinfection.
The incident drew attention because biting is outside the normal techniques permitted in judo and resulted in Tang being removed from the quarter-final.
Maeda Continues to Gold
Despite the unusual incident, Maeda continued her campaign in the women’s -70kg division.
The Japanese judoka advanced through the remaining rounds and defeated Kazakhstan’s Azhar Askhat in the final to claim the Asian Games gold medal.
Maeda said she had entered the competition determined to win gold and was able to focus on her performance after the quarter-final incident.
She also indicated that adrenaline helped her move beyond the discomfort caused by the incident.
Tang Jing Does Not Comment
Tang appeared to dispute the referee’s decision immediately after the incident but ultimately left the competition area.
Reuters reported that the Chinese Judo Association and Chinese Olympic Committee were contacted for comment, while Tang did not speak to the media after the bout.
The disqualification ended Tang’s challenge for the gold medal, while Maeda went on to become the home champion.
Japan Adds More Judo Golds
Maeda’s victory was part of a successful day for Japan in judo at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.
Sotaro Fujiwara won the men’s 81kg title, while Narumi Tanioka secured gold in the women’s 63kg category. Japan also added gold medals in wrestling, canoe slalom and cycling events during the day’s competition.
The Asian Games are being held primarily in Japan’s Aichi Prefecture, with Nagoya serving as a major host city.
