Kabaddi
Kabaddi ( Hindi : कबड्डी, kabaḍḍī) is a team sport that is mainly practiced in South and Southeast Asia . Special features are that no play equipment is required and that players have to hold their breath during certain phases of the game.
The history of the game can be traced very far back, for example it is mentioned in the Mahabharata epic (approx. 400 BC to 400 AD). Origins are assumed to be in prehistoric times.
India has won and held the World Cup every year so far: 2010, 2014 and 2016. On their 6th win, they beat England 62:20. However, the next World Cup will take place in Dubai in October 2019.
Gameplay
In kabaddi, two teams of seven players each face each other, each with five reserve players. The game is played in two halves of 20 minutes each on a field measuring 12.5 meters by 8 meters. Each team owns half of the pitch.
One team alternately sends a player, called a raider , into the opposing half. The aim of the raider is to knock off as many players as possible (touch with hand or foot) and then return to their own half. If the attack (raid) is successful, the attacking team receives one point for each opponent knocked off. For a successful raid, the attacker is not allowed to inhale while he is in the opposing half. In order to make this verifiable for the referee, he calls out "kabaddi kabaddi" (the so-called cant ) continuously .
The defending team can thwart the attack, typically by the players pulling the raider to the ground and holding it (tackle). The defenders receive one point for a failed attack.
According to international rules, the raider can end the attack early and return to his own half without having beaten off an opponent. This is considered a successful raid if it has previously reached the so-called Baulk line. A team is only allowed to attack twice in a row. Then a rating must take place (“do or die”).
"Make up" players
A severed defender is out , as is a Raider, whose attack was thwarted. A player who is out must leave the field of play and take a seat on the reserve bench. The team in question has one less player on the field in the following raids. If the last player on a team is also out (so-called Lona ), the opponent receives additional points for this and the team can again bring seven players onto the field.
Depending on the rule variant, it is also permitted to reinstate a player for each point scored (up to a maximum of seven players).
Leagues and Tournaments
There are international, national and regional competitions for kabaddi. One focus is the Asian region, but there is also a league in Great Britain.
Web links
- “Breathless in India” : online article on sueddeutsche.de