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Kabaddi is a team pursuit sport, primarily played in India. Kabaddi is the name used in the north of India: the game is also known as chedugudu in the south and hadudu in the east. The game is also popular in surrounding countries like Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan.

The Game

Two teams compete in kabaddi, scoring by touching or capturing the players of the opposing team. Each team has 12 players: seven are on court at a time, and five in reserve. The two teams compete for higher scores, alternating defence and offense.

The game consists of two 20-minute halves, with a break of five minutes for change of sides. The playing area is 12.5m x 10m, divided into two halves.

The attacking side sends a raider who enters the opponents' half of the court chanting "kabaddi-kabaddi" repeatedly, to show that he is not breathing in. The raider's aim is to touch any player on the opposing side and return to his court, all in one breath. The person whom the raider touches will then be out.

The aim of the opposing team will be to hold the raider, and stop him from returning to his own court, until he takes another breath. If the raider cannot return to his court in the same breath he is out.

Each team alternates in sending a player into the opponents' half of the court. If a player goes over a boundary line during the course of the play, or if any part of his body touches the ground outside the boundary, he will be out, except during a struggle.

A team scores a bonus of two points, called a lona, if the entire opposing team is declared out.

Matches are staged on the basis of age and weight.

Seven officials supervise a match: one referee, two umpires, two linesmen, a time keeper and a scorer.

• Team sports