Kabaddi

Kabaddi is a team sport from South Asia. Two teams are on opposite halves of a small field. They take turns sending a "raider" into the other half. This is to win points by tackling members of the opposing team. Then the raider tries to return to their own half. They hold their breath and chant the word "Kabaddi" during the whole raid. The raider must not cross the lobby unless they touch any of their opponents. If they do not touch anyone then they will be "out". There is also a bonus line. If the raider touches it and returns to their side of the field, they will get extra points. If the raider is not able to get back to their own side, then they are considered "out". RV -4416

In the international team version of kabaddi, there are two teams of seven members and 4 are in substitution. Each is on opposite halves of a field of 10 m × 13 m in case of men and 8 m × 12 m in case of women. Each has three extra players held in reserve. The game is played with 20-minute halves. There is a five-minute half-time break when the teams change sides.

Teams take turns sending a "raider" to the opposite team's half. The goal is to tag or wrestle ("confine") members of the opposite team. Tagged members are "out" and temporarily sent off the field.

The goal of the defenders is to stop the raider from returning to the home side before taking a breath. If any of the seven players cross the lobby without touching the raider they will be declared "out".

The raider is sent off the field if:

• the raider takes a breath before returning or
• the raider crosses the boundary line or
• a part of the raider's body touches the ground outside the boundary (except during a struggle with an opposing team member).

Each time when a player is "out", the opposing team earns a point. A team scores a bonus of two points called a "lona". If the entire opposing team is declared "out". At the end of the game, the team with the most points wins.

Matches are based on age and weight. Six officials supervise a match: one referee, two umpires, a scorer and two assistant scorers.

the modernised version of the game was founded in Maharashtra. Kabaddi received International exposure in the 1937 Olympics, demonstrated by India. The game was introduced in the Indian Games in Calcutta 1938. Kabaddi was popularized by Sundar Ram of India in Japan, when he toured on behalf of the Asian Amateur Kabaddi Federation.

Kabaddi World Cup

Men's World Cup 2004

The Kabaddi World Cup was first played in 2004. It was played again in 2007, 2010 and 2016. So far India is the unbeaten champion in Kabaddi World Cup. Iran is the next most successful nation being runner-up twice. South Korea was the runner-up in 2010.

Women's World Cup

The Women's Kabaddi World Cup was first played in 2012 in Patna, Bihar, India. India won the championship defeating Iran in the finals gold.

Other websites

• Media related to Kabaddi at Wikimedia Commons