PHOTO
Players from local villages compete in "Kabbadi", a traditional game in the northern Indian city of Chandigarh February 21, 2011. In the game of Kabbadi, two teams occupy opposite halves of a field and the objective of the game is to tag as many opposition players as possible in their own territory, all the while repeating the word Kabbadi till the tagging activity is complete. REUTERS/Ajay Verma
Tuesday, Apr 11, 2017
Dubai: Dubai is all set to play host to a unique kabaddi tournament with the hosting of the inaugural All India Kabaddi Festival in the first week of May.
The day-long tournament is an initiative from three Dubai-based kabaddi clubs — Team Pathikal, Winners Vedakam and Pravdha Kuttikol — and will be held at the Al Twar indoor hall in Al Ghusais on May 5.
Kabaddi is a contact team sport that originated in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Two teams compete, each occupying its own half of the court while taking turns sending a raider into the other team’s half and earn points.
The tournament in May will feature players from Dubai with each of the 24 participating teams given permission to draft a maximum of two international players. “We have been involved with three clubs in Dubai since the past few months and we thought the best way to take this game to the next level was by organising an international competition,” Aghilraj M Joint Secretary, Team Pathikal, said.
“Since the past few months we have been meeting regularly thrice a week so that we could rise to a certain level and be best prepared for an international tournament that will have some of the best players coming from India,” he added.
By Alaric Gomes Senior Reporter
Gulf News 2017. All rights reserved.
