Anthony

The British Kabaddi League (BKL) is bringing South Asia’s fastest-growing sport to the Bellahouston Sports Centre in Glasgow on the 11th and 12th of May for the third leg of the BKL Grand Prix 2024.
In partnership with Glasgow Life and Glasgow’s City Council, BKL is welcoming both fans and local people to attend for FREE, as 12 teams battle it out across 10 matches over the weekend to see who will top the league at the end of Grand Prix Three. The matches will mark the homecoming event for Scotland’s Glasgow Unicorns and Edinburgh Eagles and the first opportunity for fans to support the the teams on home soil this season.

The BKL Grand Prix has been competing in major cities across the UK since early April, and these games at Bellahouston mark the third instalment of the BKL’s four-event schedule. The league has seen the high-octane strategy sport land in Wolverhampton and Coventry before Glasgow; the season finale will be the Grand Final event at Birmingham’s Nechells Wellbeing Centre on the 18th and 19th of May.

The BKL Grand Prix is a series of action-packed games across a full weekend in Glasgow, where anyone can attend the event for FREE via booking their complimentary ticket. Alternatively, fans across the UK can watch the entertainment from the comfort of their own homes as all games will be streamed live on the BBC’s iPlayer.

Glasgow-based CEO of The BKL, Prem Singh Bhart, commented: “It’s a pleasure to have the opportunity to bring the BKL to my hometown and to a terrific venue well known to the local community, in Bellahouston. The two Scottish teams in the league have been having a great season, and it’s a perfect opportunity to showcase their talents to their hometown support while promoting the sport’s diverse and inclusive nature to Glasgow and the surrounding areas. Glasgow’s Grand Prix is the penultimate event before the Grand Final in Birmingham, and we want to use this opportunity to springboard awareness and buzz about the finals – so we’ve got a line-up of terrific action to come across the two days.”

Glasgow Life Director of Culture, Tourism & Events, Billy Garrett, said: “This is a really exciting time for Kabaddi in the UK; it’s a dynamic sport that’s rapidly developing and increasing its impact, so we’re delighted Glasgow is hosting this important leg of the BKL Grand Prix 2024 for what promises to be an exhilarating weekend of competition.

“Our city is renowned as an outstanding and welcoming destination for sports events, and we are committed to inspiring and enabling engagement with a broad range of inclusive sports that promote the wealth of wellbeing benefits. Kabaddi, which brings together communities and celebrates the diversity of South Asian sporting culture, is a fantastic example of that. We look forward to welcoming competitors from all over the UK, and I’d encourage as many people as possible to take advantage of the chance to come along to Bellahouston and enjoy an outstanding display of the players’ skills at these high-octane games.”

The Glasgow event will feature 12 teams from around the UK competing against each other, including three women’s teams, and two Scottish hometown heroes looking to make their mark in the league standings. Kabaddi is a fast-paced and strategic sport, with roots in ancient India, that demands lung power, agility, and teamwork – making it a captivating spectacle to watch. Imagine combining elements of tag and wrestling; that results in Kabaddi.

Two teams of seven players face off on a rectangular court, with one player at a time (the “raider”) from the attacking team venturing into opposition territory. Their mission? Tag out as many defenders as possible, just like in tag, but here’s the twist: the raider can only do this while continuously chanting “kabaddi, kabaddi, kabaddi” without taking a single breath! If they stop chanting or gasp for air, they’re out. The opposing team tries their best to tackle the raiders, prevent them from tagging anyone, and stop them from escaping back to their side.

The BKL is also supported by Wolverhampton, Coventry, and Birmingham Councils and Sporting Equals, who are working as dedicated diversity and inclusion partners.