The incident took place earlier this week during the athlete selection tournament of Jiangsu Province, which was part of the seventh training camp designed for the China national youth and junior teams.

In the U14 semifinals, Cao suffered a 0-3 defeat to his teammate, He Ruichen. The final set ended in a devastating 0-11 loss.

After Cao conceded the final point, He approached the table to shake hands, following standard post-match protocols. But Cao threw his racket to the floor and struck his opponent in the head, the South China Morning Post reported.

As He stepped back and bumped into the court’s barriers, Cao lunged forward and delivered a kick to his lower body. Only when tournament staff and bystanders rushed in to intervene did the assault stop.

Video footage of the violent act quickly circulated on Chinese social media, racking up millions of views within hours.

The Jiangsu Table Tennis Association responded swiftly, issuing a disciplinary notice on Tuesday and concluding that Cao’s post-match assault disrupted the competition and generated backlash. It condemned his actions for violating the spirit of sportsmanship and damaging the reputation of youth table tennis players in the province.

As a result, Cao’s eligibility for the current tournament was immediately revoked, wiping out all his qualifying round results. He is banned from participating in any table tennis events organized, co-organized, or sponsored by the association from July 28, 2026 to July 27, 2027, China Daily reported.

Tay vợt 14 tuổi đấm đá đối thủ sau khi thua

In the wake of the incident, the association said it won’t tolerate verbal provocation, physical altercations and any form of violence on the court.

Training facilities have been ordered to prioritize education regarding the mental aspects of winning and losing, ensuring young athletes learn to respect their opponents and follow the rules.

Reports from Chinese media note that Cao comes from a family with deep roots in table tennis. His father was a well-known player in Jiangsu. His older brother, Cao Yantao, is a former member of the China national team who joined the squad in 2017 and currently competes abroad.

Public opinion suggested that the humiliating 0-11 final set defeat likely triggered Cao’s emotional collapse. Some noted that while a post-match handshake is mandatory, He’s immediate approach following such a devastating game may have accidentally become the mental breaking point for the defeated Cao.

The one-year ban is viewed as a strict but necessary warning, while leaving the door open for Cao’s return, provided he can correct his behavior and change his attitude in the future.