Iranian Women's Kabaddi Team Trains in India Ahead of Asian Games

The Iranian women's kabaddi team, consisting of 15 players and their coach, is currently training at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) centre in Sonipat, India, in preparation for the upcoming Asian Games. They arrived on August 13 and will train for a week, away from public attention.

This team is a strong competitor in kabaddi, having previously won gold medals at the 2018 Asian Games and a bronze in 2023. Their training plans were severely impacted by the outbreak of conflict in Iran, which caused significant disruptions and safety concerns for the players and their families.

To continue their preparations, the team received permission from the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI) to travel to India. They are training twice daily and participating in practice matches with local players, which has also provided valuable experience for the Indian athletes involved.