Kabaddi Explained

(The accompanying video failed to share properly.  To view it, you'll have to visit the blog.  It's directly above this post.)  

This is a game from 2010, between Pakistan and Iran.  They get started at about minute three of the video.

I saw this game/sport for the first time years ago on Thai TV with the announcing in Thai.  With no explanation to help me I was completely at a loss as to the nature of the game.  What were they doing?

At that time I didn't even catch the name of the game, so I was left for years with only the vague memory of the strangeness of it.  I watched a game this week as part of the Asian Games that are now taking place in Korea.  So, it's Kabaddi.  Having the name enabled me to ask Professor Google to explain it all to me.

One "raider" approaches the other team with the goal of touching a player and then retreating across the middle line before they can tackle him.  To complicate matters, the raider must hold his breath until he returns to his own side.  This explained the weirdest thing about first viewing the game.  The raider will most often simply relax and walk back to his own side, without apparently having done anything.  He ran out of breath!  To insure that the raider hold his breath, he must continuously mumble "kabaddi, kabaddi . . ."

The actual scoring is a bit obscure, and I'll leave you to explore the subject on your own. 

Kabaddi is very popular in South Asia and has spread to Southeast Asia.  Note that it requires no equipment whatsoever, and no special surface or markings.  Lines drawn in the dirt would be fine.  I'm sure that this lack of expense contributed to its popularity.  It's like a glorified game of tag.

So, Kabaddi.