# Biting Incident Italy vs. Montenegro **URL:** \ **Category:** General\ **Created:** [September 4, 2026, 1:13pm UTC](https://waterpoloexchange.com/t/biting-incident-italy-vs-montenegro/2788 "2026-09-04T13:13:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Polopop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c89c15/32.png) [@Polopop](https://waterpoloexchange.com/u/Polopop)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2026, 1:13pm UTC](https://waterpoloexchange.com/t/biting-incident-italy-vs-montenegro/2788/1 "2026-09-04T13:13:51Z")
[https://www.instagram.com/reel/Dc1e0wqK8P3/?igsi=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==](https://www.instagram.com/reel/Dc1e0wqK8P3/?igsi=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==) Absolutely unacceptable in this sport, I sure hope there is severe punishment for this. ---
**Author:** ![Polonewb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c0e974/32.png) [@Polonewb](https://waterpoloexchange.com/u/Polonewb)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2026, 2:17pm UTC](https://waterpoloexchange.com/t/biting-incident-italy-vs-montenegro/2788/2 "2026-09-04T14:17:01Z")
Why is biting more severe than any of the other fighting that happens? It isnt like his ear got bitten off or something. ---
**Author:** ![polorookie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@polorookie](https://waterpoloexchange.com/u/polorookie)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2026, 2:22pm UTC](https://waterpoloexchange.com/t/biting-incident-italy-vs-montenegro/2788/3 "2026-09-04T14:22:34Z")
I saw a bite at JOs in a girl’s 18 game. It was shocking! It does seem to be more egregious then just a punch or rough play ---
**Author:** ![cmbreeze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c4cdca/32.png) [@cmbreeze](https://waterpoloexchange.com/u/cmbreeze)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2026, 2:37pm UTC](https://waterpoloexchange.com/t/biting-incident-italy-vs-montenegro/2788/4 "2026-09-04T14:37:27Z")
In 1997 Mike Tyson was banned and fined $3mm for biting Holyfield’s ear (off). In 2014, Luis Suarez (Urugayan international and once and future club teammate of Lionel Messi) was banned and fined $90k for biting Italy’s Chiellini during the World Cup. There is no part of any “sport” in which humans participate that includes biting as a known acceptable risk of engagement. ---
**Author:** ![wpolo93](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/bc8723/32.png) [@wpolo93](https://waterpoloexchange.com/u/wpolo93)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2026, 3:38pm UTC](https://waterpoloexchange.com/t/biting-incident-italy-vs-montenegro/2788/5 "2026-09-04T15:38:03Z")
Definitely not Malta. It was a Montenegrin player who got bitten. You can see a golden double-headed eagle on the cap and their coach (Savic) arguing with the refs. ---
**Author:** ![wpnerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/58f4c7/32.png) [@wpnerd](https://waterpoloexchange.com/u/wpnerd)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2026, 3:48pm UTC](https://waterpoloexchange.com/t/biting-incident-italy-vs-montenegro/2788/6 "2026-09-04T15:48:05Z")
I think we have all had our fair share of getting physical with the game. But the one thing I never thought to do during the game was bite someone. I am still trying to wrap my head around wanting to bite him. It is just mind blowing to me. But I do think there should be a punishment for this not sure what it would be ---
**Author:** ![Gibson](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex004/user_avatar/waterpoloexchange.com/gibson/32/316_2.png) [@Gibson](https://waterpoloexchange.com/u/Gibson)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2026, 4:03pm UTC](https://waterpoloexchange.com/t/biting-incident-italy-vs-montenegro/2788/7 "2026-09-04T16:03:25Z")
![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex004/uploads/waterpoloexchange/original/2X/4/44e0bebc4fa211a7e9c22b6edb056149e0234795.jpeg) ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex004/uploads/waterpoloexchange/original/2X/e/ec9175bcfc99fb57cbc43dbeb3d10b32f984d021.jpeg) $4M a year, that’s true. But, he earns every nickel of it. ---
**Author:** ![Matt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@Matt](https://waterpoloexchange.com/u/Matt)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2026, 4:56pm UTC](https://waterpoloexchange.com/t/biting-incident-italy-vs-montenegro/2788/8 "2026-09-04T16:56:15Z")
I was bit during a high school game back in 1986. The guy grabbed my forearm and bit down hard. I started throwing punches on him and when I heard the whistles from the ref, I knew I was getting an ejection. I got out of the pool and had some choice words for their coach and as I walked by the ref, I showed him the bite mark. He then kicked the biter out of the tournament and put me back in the game to take a penalty shot (4m back then). Things were a little different in the 80’s Luckily, the bite did not break my skin, but his teeth imprints lasted about 4 days. My coach said he had never seen that happen before. I played and coached for over 30 years and never heard of another biting incident until yesterday. Biting absolutely has no place in the game. I hope he gets a lengthy ban. ---
**Author:** ![Polonewb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c0e974/32.png) [@Polonewb](https://waterpoloexchange.com/u/Polonewb)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2026, 5:12pm UTC](https://waterpoloexchange.com/t/biting-incident-italy-vs-montenegro/2788/9 "2026-09-04T17:12:37Z")
The community draws strange lines in my opinion, but certainly I am not arguing it is wrong. Testicular trauma and digital penetration would rank way higher on my list of terrible offenses as an athlete. Biting (except where permanent damage is evident) would probably be same as out of water thrown elbow or closed fist (punching). All of which might cause bleeding, or hematoma. The concussion risk of biting is smaller though, and CTE is a real issue. Any center defender might be taking an out of water thrown elbow to the face/head every single night of the week. I counted at least three my son took last night. ---
**Author:** ![ArmchairCoach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecb155/32.png) [@ArmchairCoach](https://waterpoloexchange.com/u/ArmchairCoach)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2026, 5:50pm UTC](https://waterpoloexchange.com/t/biting-incident-italy-vs-montenegro/2788/10 "2026-09-04T17:50:33Z")
You were allowed to speak to the refs during a game in the 80s? ---
**Author:** ![Mepolo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/779978/32.png) [@Mepolo](https://waterpoloexchange.com/u/Mepolo)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2026, 6:05pm UTC](https://waterpoloexchange.com/t/biting-incident-italy-vs-montenegro/2788/11 "2026-09-04T18:05:44Z")
Team captains were, if not during play. ---
**Author:** ![Mepolo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/779978/32.png) [@Mepolo](https://waterpoloexchange.com/u/Mepolo)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2026, 6:21pm UTC](https://waterpoloexchange.com/t/biting-incident-italy-vs-montenegro/2788/12 "2026-09-04T18:21:53Z")
Biting has no role in the game, but it’s no worse or better than punching, kicking, elbowing, etc. Based on what I see in the video, maybe both players should have been rolled if not red-carded. I can’t tell from the video who was actually carded–I see a yellow card (to the Italian player?) then a red (to the Montengrin coach?). But the segment at the end of the video shows Montenegro #4 tackling Italy #9 with a hard swing, and coming up with him in a 2-handed head/neck lock–complete with “innocent face” followed by releasing the head lock when he realizes it’s visible above water. I don’t see the bite when it happens, and the only evidence we have of it is a red mark that does not appear to be bleeding. This is not Tyson taking chunks of Holyfield’s ears. ---
**Author:** ![Mepolo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/779978/32.png) [@Mepolo](https://waterpoloexchange.com/u/Mepolo)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2026, 6:27pm UTC](https://waterpoloexchange.com/t/biting-incident-italy-vs-montenegro/2788/13 "2026-09-04T18:27:21Z")
After several more reviews, I think it’s Montengro #4 taking the red card. The earlier yellow may have been to Montengro’s coach, or perhaps to the #4 for approaching and talking to the referee. Still think #4 deserved to be rolled. Maybe even a brutality. Italian player may have gotten away with the bite. I don’t see it happen, and it doesn’t look like the officials did, either. Edited to add: Found this article–clarifies that it was Savic who got carded. But there is more to the story. [Biting allegations overshadows Mediterranean Games final between Italy and Montenegro - Waterpolo 360](https://waterpolo360news.com/biting-allegation-overshadows-mediterranean-games-final-between-italy-and-montenegro/) ---
**Author:** ![Matt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@Matt](https://waterpoloexchange.com/u/Matt)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2026, 6:49pm UTC](https://waterpoloexchange.com/t/biting-incident-italy-vs-montenegro/2788/14 "2026-09-04T18:49:10Z")
No, but I was just walking past him and and showed him my arm and made the comment. ---
**Author:** ![Oldfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Oldfan](https://waterpoloexchange.com/u/Oldfan)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2026, 8:22pm UTC](https://waterpoloexchange.com/t/biting-incident-italy-vs-montenegro/2788/15 "2026-09-04T20:22:01Z")
Nephew - several years back pointed out to his coach a clear bite mark on his shoulder during a timeout only for the coach to say - “it’s water polo, get over it”. The bite mark lasted for a couple of days… ---
**Author:** ![WaterPolo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f0a364/32.png) [@WaterPolo](https://waterpoloexchange.com/u/WaterPolo)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2026, 9:10pm UTC](https://waterpoloexchange.com/t/biting-incident-italy-vs-montenegro/2788/16 "2026-09-04T21:10:33Z")
This is certainly not the first rodeo for Italy and Pro Recco’s #9 “Iocchi Gratta”. An amazing player, but also the dirtiest player in the modern game. I have seen many occasions of him engaging in violence such as this. ---
**Author:** ![Water-Polo-Fan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/edb3f5/32.png) [@Water-Polo-Fan](https://waterpoloexchange.com/u/Water-Polo-Fan)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2026, 1:06am UTC](https://waterpoloexchange.com/t/biting-incident-italy-vs-montenegro/2788/17 "2026-09-08T01:06:26Z")
“Six-five, with the Afro, six-nine” 😆 ---
**Author:** ![WaterPolo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f0a364/32.png) [@WaterPolo](https://waterpoloexchange.com/u/WaterPolo)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2026, 2:29am UTC](https://waterpoloexchange.com/t/biting-incident-italy-vs-montenegro/2788/18 "2026-09-08T02:29:52Z")
[![](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex004/uploads/waterpoloexchange/original/2X/8/8113514757d9c1f493372a7f3620400f19226634.jpeg "Taranto2026: Italia-Montenegro 18-14") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UH2KPUtZEU) Can someone confirm if this is the match that the biting incident occurred in?