Volleyball ace Yuji Nishida apologises in dramatic style after ball hits judge at All-Star Game
The Japanese player slid across the court on his abdomen with his face down, drawing laughter and applause from spectators.
Yuji Nishida performed a dramatic face-down slide across the volleyball court toward a judge after his serve hit her back at the SV League All-Star Game in Kobe, Japan on Feb 1, 2026. (Image: X/BillyM2k)
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Japanese volleyball star Yuji Nishida has drawn widespread attention for an elaborate apology, after he accidentally struck a courtside judge with a ball in Kobe, western Japan.
The 26-year-old, who is 1.86m tall and captains Osaka Bluteon, was taking part in a half-time serving challenge on Sunday (Feb 1) at the SV League All-Star Game, when his left-handed serve veered off course and hit a female judge on the back.
She was unharmed but appeared momentarily startled.
Nishida immediately reacted with an exaggerated gesture known as dogeza, a traditional Japanese form of extreme apology and respect.
Dogeza involves kneeling on the ground and bowing so that the forehead touches the floor, a gesture typically reserved for showing deep remorse, asking a serious favour or demonstrating profound respect.
On the court, Nishida slid across the floor on his abdomen toward the judge, keeping his head down and hands by his side.
The spectacular slide drew laughter and applause from spectators and fellow players alike. Videos of the incident posted on social media platform X have drawn millions of views.
Online users were impressed by Nishida's gesture, with one writing: "He's the bar. No one else compares."
Another commented: "Most sincere apology I've seen from anyone for anything ever."
Others joked, saying the slide would be a new trend this year. One YouTube viewer quipped that this would be "how I act when I beg my boss for a raise".
Despite the slip-up with his serve over the weekend, Nishida turned in a standout performance on court, helping his team to a 3-0 victory and earning the tournament's Most Valuable Player award.
The volleyball ace led Japan to its best Olympic finish in 29 years in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, as well as a silver medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France.
He is known as one-third of Japan's "power trio" alongside players Yuki Ishikawa and Ran Takashi.
