KABADDI—THE WORLD’S OLDEST SPORT?

KABADDI—THE WORLD’S OLDEST SPORT? The Wall Street Journal (August 26) had an article about kabaddi, which is the national game of Bangladesh and the state game of several states in India. This wikipedia article lists 31 countries that are members of the International Kabaddi Federation. According to this site, “The history of Kabaddi dates back to the pre-historic times….and….Historians find resemblance with the technicalities of Kabaddi with a situation in the great battle of Mahabharata. Further: “According to the Buddhist literature, Gautama Buddha played Kabaddi for recreational purposes.” Although boxing, wrestling and track and field events go back to classical Greece and Rome, I can’t think of any team sport that goes back as far as kabaddi.