Punjab to host 5-nation kabaddi for women

World Cup Kabaddi Punjab-2011 winners to get Rs 2 crore, runners-up Rs 1 crore and third position holders Rs 51 lakh
by sportswire4u.blogspot.com (Balbir)
CHANDIGARH, JULY 17
The Punjab Government has introduced Five-Nation Women Kabaddi Tournament and it will be conducted simultaneously along with the second World Cup Kabaddi Punjab-2011 to be hosted in last week of October and first week of November this year in Punjab.
Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today said that Punjab is all set to organize the Five-Nation Women Kabaddi  and the highest prize money World Cup Kabaddi.
      Reviewing the arrangement for World Cup Kabaddi in the high level meeting with the Punjab Sports Department and office bearers of the Punjab Kabaddi Association, Mr Sukhbir Badal said that there was also a need to encourage women kabaddi in the country. India, USA, Canada , UK and Iran would participate. For the women section prize money would be 25 Lakh for the winner and 15 lakh for runner up and 10 lakh each for other participating teams. He said that it was for the first time that any international tournament for women kabaddi would be organized with such high prize money.
Finalizing the arrangements for World Cup Kabaddi it was decided that 16 nations would vie for World Cup Kabaddi title and teams would be divided into four groups. The country topping each league would qualify for semi-finals. He said that the prize money for the title has been doubled to two crore where as team securing second and third position would get Rs. one crore and  Rs.51 lakh respectively.
 Mr. Suhbir Badal said that all matches would be organized in the flood light and will be telecast live throughout the world fulfilling the long pending demand of Punjabis living in Canada USA , Europe, Australia and Gulf countries.
 The newly constructed flood lit stadium in Bathinda would witness glittering opening ceremony that is set to put opening ceremony of Commonwealth Games to a shade. Bathinda would also host both semifinals. The industrial city of Ludhiana would witness the culmination of 2nd World Cup Kabaddi as closing ceremony and final match would decide World Champion in the traditional game of Punjab.    
       He said that this time it has been decided to take this game to the hotbed of  traditional Punjab style kabaddi game and it has been decided to hold the matches in the 12 venues mostly in the rural areas. This year four new venues at Dhudike (Moga), Mansa, SBS Nagar (Nawansheher) and TaranTarn have been included to take this game to the rural hotbed of the State and Patiala , Jalandhar , Gurdaspur and Hoshiarpur are set to welcome players from all over the World for this keenly contested 2nd World Cup Kabaddi.
Participating in the deliberation Mr. Sikander Singh Maluka President Punjab Kabaddi Association said that 16 nations that are going to participate in the tournament that be India, Pakistan, Iran, Canada, USA, UK, Italy, Australia, Spain, Afghanistan and New teams including Sri Lanka, Norway, Tiawan, Irish Army and Argentina. He said that like last tournament doping test would be conducted strictly on all participating players.