Qatar 2006 | George Filev

Kabaddi, Kabaddi, Kabaddi!

07 Dec 2006 02:17 Filed in: Qatar 2006
With the opening ceremony out of the way it is time to take in some of the delights of the 15th Asian Games. I thought I would go and check out some sporting events on my days off but first I needed to dress the part. I am getting used to the Arabic lifestyle over here, because I have no real choice, and also as they say, when in Rome.....so I have got myself a head dress and had a bit of a play.

This is the cowboy look that is quite popular around these parts.

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Then there is the version I affectionately call the Mother Teresa. This is a nice one for letting your hair down.

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But my favourite by far is the Lawrence of Arabia also known as the Oil Tycoon.

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Who was that masked man?? Yep, now we are ready to hit the stadium and cheer for the Qatari team to at least come in second last.

I started with the gymnastics and it is basically the Chinese against everyone else. They are incredible gymnasts who perform double, doubles (double twist with a double back Sault), with the greatest of ease and grace. I watched floor routines, beam, parallel bars, vaulting, boxing and many other sports that I have seen before but I wanted to see a sport that was from the Asian region. Something different, something I have never seen before.

Enter the world of KABADDI.

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Let me lay down the ground rules to bring you up to speed.

Kabaddi originated in South Asia and is played with two teams of 12 players (seven on court and five in reserve). The game consists of two 20-minute halves. Two teams compete, alternating defence and offence, to reach the highest score by touching or capturing the opposing team's players, (and here's the good bit....), all the while chanting "kabaddi, kabaddi". There are three forms generally played: surjeevani, gaminee and amar.

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They tossed to see who goes first and then they started playing tag while holding hands and chanting Kabaddi. The person who was IT and trying to tag the others only has the time of one breath while chanting to do so. When he has run out of breath it is the other teams go to send in a man to tag the other team till he runs out of breath.

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Here you see one guy in white from Iran, surrounded by the Japanese guys in the black. The aim is to tag someone and run back to the other side and put any part of your body over the centre line. The person successfully tagged is then out of the game.

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The team who are trying not to get touched are also trying to do a stacks on, on the guy tagging but making sure only to do this when he can't reach the centre line because if he gets any part of his body over the line, any played touching him gets sent off the field.

Sound complicated?? You should try watching it! Now to add to the excitement the Indian team are experts at the acrobatic nature of the game and some players perform tricks like touching the other side of the court past the back line, (in turn scoring bonus points if you can get back to the centre line) and leaping up and over the defending side to score the point.

Other specialised sports are WUSHU, which is a Chinese term for all styles of martial arts from bare hands to swords and long apparatus like spear and cudgel. Then there is SEPAKTAKRAW and is played with a woven ball and described as a combination of volleyball with the dexterity of football and the finesse of badminton.

Looking forward to seeing more bizarre sports from Asia. On the work front, we are working on the closing ceremony and it is a hard slog. I think people are a bit on the back foot with preparations and this is causing a lot of stress on the field. Hopefully we will get the show together soon and then have a big party when it is all over. I could use the rest and I also want to get home asap. Not enjoying this second show because I am on the ground for the whole show due to one of the ground acrobats hurting his ankle and having to fly instead. Can't say I am too happy about that but I will give it my best shot.

Love to you all and I hope you are well and happy.

George

xxxooo

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