Kabaddi final in city is dream come true - president
The hosting of the British Kabaddi League Grand Final in Birmingham is a dream come true, the British president of the game said.
The contact sport, which originated in India 5,000 years ago, is now played in more than 50 countries, with the Birmingham Bulls sitting at the top of the league.
It will be held at Nechells Wellbeing Centre on Saturday and Sunday.
In 2025, the Kabaddi World Cup will be hosted in the West Midlands, marking the first time that the event has been held outside of Asia.
Kabaddi is an ancient Indian sport that involves teams of raiders and blockers who must score points by entering opposition’s territory. Players must tag an opponent and make it back to their half without being tackled to the ground.
The British Kabaddi League (BKL), now in its third season, will be hosting this year's Grand Final in Birmingham. The tournament will be held at Nechells Wellbeing Centre this weekend.
Birmingham Bulls, the current the reigning champions, beat Glasgow Unicorns 48-18 to take the title last year. This year’s BKL is an important milestone in the run up to Coventry hosting of the Kabaddi World Cup 2025, said the league.
It will be the first time the World Cup will be hosted outside Asia, and will feature some of the world’s best players in both male and female category.
'A big deal'
When asked how he felt about the games Ashok Das, president of the league, said: "This is the dream I had, for UK cities to host it.
"Sixteen nations will be competing in the World Cup and I think this is good publicity".
Harshit Yadav, who has been playing the sport for the last nine years, spoke on how far the sport has come along in the UK.
The Coventry University student is a former professional Kabaddi league player from India.
He said: "It's a big deal for Kabaddi and Coventry. Its a big thing for those who love Kabaddi."
Next year, Wolverhampton will host the knockout stages and final of the men's and women's world cup.
The city will also host the opening event as well as staging group matches alongside Birmingham, Coventry and Walsall.
