Sport in Asia is immensely popular, and the continent has seen many global tournaments and events, including the FIFA World Cup in Japan and Korea, the Cricket World Cup in India and Formula One Grands Prix in several Asian countries. Fans are excitable and dedicated, with supporters in some countries bordering on the fanatical. And grassroots level sport is also popular, just look at cricket in India, or baseball in Japan for two examples. The world's largest continent is, unsurprisingly, home to thousands of different cultures, languages, religions, and sporting traditions. Many of these sports have evolved from rituals many centuries old, whereas others are hybrids of sports developed in the west. Among them are sports which are not widely known throughout the rest of the world. Let's take a closer look at sport in Asia.
Most Popular
Although the popularity of sports tends to differ country by country, the most popular sport overall in Asia is soccer. The quality of players and the performance of teams has risen greatly over the last few decades, and now plenty of players, especially from Japan and South Korea, are playing in elite leagues in Europe. Soccer is also massive with supporters, as demonstrated by the fevered atmosphere at the 2002 World Cup finals in Japan and Korea, and the ensuing support for Asian national teams at subsequent tournaments. Many supporters like to gamble to spice up the on-field action, and it is possible to place bets on the Premier League amongst others. Away from the soccer field, cricket is phenomenally popular in India, with huge crowds at IPL matches and unending support for the Indian national team. Baseball was successfully exported to Japan in the years after WW2, played by professionals and amateurs alike.
Sepak Takraw
Originating in Malaysia, but adopted by the Vietnamese, Sepak Takraw is a heady fusion of soccer and volleyball - although perhaps it owes more to trick or street soccer. Played on a court similar to one on which you would play badminton, it is fast-paced, athletic and requires almost inhuman reflexes and agility. The premise is the same as volleyball, but you are only allowed to use your feet or head to return the ball. Incredible to watch, it is a firm fan favorite and has been featured in the Asian Games (and the South Asian Games).
Bokator
This traditional Cambodian martial art has, in recent years, been growing in popularity after decades of obscurity. A tough mixed martial art, it combines fierce strikes with elbows and knees, shin kicks, and wrestling techniques. It has ancient origins, and fighters are adorned in the uniforms of the ancient Khmer armies - blue and red silk chords around the waist, biceps, and head.
Buzkashi
Animal lovers look away now. The traditional sport of Buzkashi is said to have been developed and encouraged by Mongol emperor Ghengis Khan, in order to train his mounted troops to ride through villages and seize goods and women. It is sometimes compared to polo, although one striking difference is the absence of a ball. Instead, a headless goat carcass is used and must be deposited in scoring zones dotted about the huge field. It is played across Central Asia, although it was banned under the rule of the Taliban in Afghanistan. However, it is a deep-seated tradition and looks likely to continue, outlawed or otherwise.
Kabaddi
Wildly popular across south Asia, Kabaddi is like a game of tag but with two teams, and the danger of asphyxia. Players hold their breath and then move into the opposing team's territory, trying to touch as many of them as possible in a raid, all the while chanting kabaddi. The opposing team tries to tackle the raider to the ground, but if they make it back to their own territory without being taken down, they earn points depending on how many players they tagged. If the raider is tackled, the defending side earns a point. This sport dates back to prehistoric times and is played in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Malaysia, all of whom have different names for it.
Bo-Taoshi
Played by two teams each 75 strong, this sport, which literally means? bring down the pole, is played by the Japanese military. One team has to carry around a huge wooden pole and stop it from being lowered to a 30-degree angle by the other team. The defending team uses all manner of tactics to do this, either forming a defensive wall or simply supporting the pole in a group. The attackers thrill crowds who gather to watch with their fevered attempts to lower the pole, including headlong dives into the defenders, or huge leaps to try to clear them. An immensely entertaining, if completely confusing spectacle. Whilst the most popular sports in Asia are those played worldwide, dig a little deeper and you'll find other sporting contests that are exciting, bewildering, and rooted in fascinating local traditions.
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