The Iran national women's kabaddi team conducted a training camp in India to prepare for the 2026 Asian Games [1].
This training is critical for the squad because months of preparation were disrupted by the conflict between Iran and the U.S. By training in India, the team is utilizing the region's status as a primary hub for the sport to regain competitive form.
The team traveled to the Sports Authority of India (SAI) centre in Sonipat, Haryana, for the session [1]. The training camp lasted six days [1], [3]. This period of intensive practice was designed to bridge the gap in their athletic development after nearly three months of lost training caused by the war [3].
The athletes are preparing for the 2026 Asian Games, which will be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan [2]. The decision to train at the SAI facility allows the Iranian women to access specialized coaching and infrastructure not currently available to them at home.
Kabaddi is a contact sport that requires high levels of physical conditioning and tactical synchronization. The disruption of several months creates a significant disadvantage for athletes competing at an international level. The six-day camp in Sonipat served as a strategic intervention to ensure the team remains viable for the upcoming games in Japan [1], [2].
“The team traveled to the Sports Authority of India (SAI) centre in Sonipat, Haryana, for the session.”
The use of Indian facilities by the Iranian squad highlights India's role as the global epicenter for kabaddi. It also demonstrates how geopolitical instability, specifically the Iran-US conflict, directly impacts the ability of national athletes to maintain training cycles and compete fairly on the international stage.
