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Site created by Mark Delpapa
Kabaddi: An Overview
Kabaddi is a foreign sport to the United States that is looking to showcase
itself in the Olympics. With the strong fan base building around this sport I believe that it will be a dynamic competitor
for that right. It is a simple, yet furious and emotional, game whose boundaries seem endless. Gaining momentum through large
tournaments globally it will not be long before Kabaddi enters the pinnacle of national competition, the Olympics. Kabaddi
is a sport that combines football and rugby that has origins running back to Indian culture. Its’ roots go back about
4,000 years where historians believe that it derived from the battle of “Kurukshetra.” This event is well-known
among the regions of India as an epic
event. During the encounter Abhimanyu, son of Arjuna, engaged in a quarrel with seven enemies simultaneously on the battlefield.
The seven warriors strategically positioned themselves into a defensive formation known as “Chakravyuha.” Positioning
as a unit allowed for the protection of each other against an incursion. Abhimanyu used skill and strength to find a way to
breach the small stronghold. This battle signifies the basic foundation of the sport Kabaddi.
Two teams compete with each other for higher
scores, by touching or capturing the players of the opponent team. Each team consists of 12 players, of which seven are on
court at a time, and five in reserve. The two teams fight for higher scores, alternating defense and offense. The court is
as large as that for a dodge ball game. The game consists of two 20-minute halves, with a break of five minutes for change
of sides. The kabaddi playing area is 12.50m x 10m, divided by a line into two halves. The side winning the toss sends a 'raider',
who enters the opponents' court chanting, 'kabaddi-kabaddi'. The raider's aim is to touch any or all players on the opposing
side, and return to his court in one breath. The person, whom the raider touches, will then be out. The aim of the opposing
team will be to hold the raider, and stop him from returning to his own court, until he takes another breath. If the raider
cannot return to his court in the same breath while chanting 'kabaddi', he will be declared out. Each team alternates in sending
a player into the opponents' court. If a player goes out of the boundary line during the course of the play, or if any part
of his body touches the ground outside the boundary, he will be out, except during a struggle.
CLICK HERE FOR THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF KABADDI
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