Once considered just a rural Indian sport, Kabaddi has grown by leaps and bounds in the past few years. The sport has not only gained more popularity within the country, but nations across the world have started adopting it.
Winners of all seven Asian Games gold medals that have been awarded in the sport, India have almost been like the undisputed Kabaddi champions of the world. But a peek into the lives of players from around the globe, and one realises how invested they are into the betterment of the sport in their country.
For instance, the Kenyan team has just one proper Kabaddi mat in all of East Africa. But in order to spread the sport, the players moved from place to place with that mat, introducing Kabaddi in institutions and among other sportspersons. Argentina is yet to have a funded league of their own, but in order to keep competing, the players pitch in money to regularly hold matches.
So going beyond India, here’s a look at Kabaddi stories from around the world.
Kenya – ‘We Don’t Play Kabaddi to Earn Money’
A rugby player once came across videos of Kabaddi on Youtube, and decided to start teaching the sport. That was in 2014. Since then, Laventer Oguta has almost single-handedly formed the Kenyan team.
I’ve played many sports, but taking up Kabaddi as a coach was like a call from god.Laventer Oguta
When it comes to Kabaddi being played in East Africa, both logistics and funding are a problem. But coach Oguta says that it’s not the money that motivates them to continue, it’s the love for the game.
A lot of times players leave the sport because they’re not convinced or get discouraged. So the players that remain are here because they really love Kabaddi, and are willing to sacrifice everything to play it. Right now we don’t play Kabaddi to earn money. If money comes along the way we’ll appreciate it but all the players dream of playing it professional.Laventer Oguta
Argentina – ‘Love at First Sight’
It was love at first sight. I loved the idea of being one against a group.
That was 37-year-old Argentinian Federico Gramajo’s first reaction to Kabaddi. Now a star raider in the team, he admits that most people in football-crazy Argentina don’t know much about the sport. “But with the Kabaddi Masters becoming the first tournament of the sport being broadcast in Argentina, I’m sure that’s soon going to change,” he chips in.
The Kabaddi community in Argentina is still at its nascent stage but the players, without any funding, run a league – Liga Nacional – where everyone is welcome to play.
Eight different teams meet once a month to compete against each other. The winner of the day becomes the champion of the month, and on the basis of that, a champion of the season is picked at the end.
“It’s the player who pool in the money and organise this. A lot of effort is involved.”
South Korea – ‘India Better, But We’re Trying’
Fierce on the Kabaddi mat and shy off it, Jang Kun Lee has been a superstar in the Pro Kabaddi League. In fact, Republic of Korea bagged the bronze in only their second Asian Games appearance in 2014, and also have the second highest representation in the Pro Kabaddi League.
My first reaction to Kabaddi? I thought it was very funny.Jang Kun Lee
In the limited English that he speaks, Jang Kun explained that Kabaddi hardly enjoys any popularity at home. When asked whether India was a better team or South Korea, he said:
India. But we’re trying. I want Korean team to become world champions.
Pakistan – ‘Navy Introduced Me to Kabaddi’
The only team that gives the India some real competition on the kabaddi mat, Pakistan has been making quite a mark in international tournament and have won a total of seven Asian Games medals.
A lot of the players in the senior team are recruited from the Pakistani forces, and Mudassar Ali was no different. He was 16 when he first played the sport.
I was introduced to Kabaddi in 2013, while I was in the navy. From there I was selected in the Pakistan junior team, and from there was selected for the senior team on the basis of my performance.Mudassar Ali
A cricket-crazy nation like India, the standard style of Kabaddi is not as popular in Pakistan as the circle style – which is played on a circular shaped mat.
Also moving from strength to strength, Pakistan this year hosted their maiden season of the Super Kabaddi League, that featured players from Kenya, Iran and Sri Lanka.
Iran – ‘I Train Junior Players’
He was a wrestler before he saw he saw Iran win a medal in kabaddi at the Guangzhou Asian Games. He then approached his coach, who also happened to teach kabaddi, and there has been no looking back since then for Amirhossein Mohammad Maleki.
“Kabaddi is popular in a few cities, but most people don’t know much about it. The sport has potential, and is getting better with every year,” said Maleki, adding:
Personally, I have been training junior players. They all love it, and are really willing to learn.
Another great indication of the influx of Iranian players into the sport, is that the national team has included nine new players since the 2016 World Cup.
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