The London Games begin next week, and just as a friendly suggestion to the IOC, these popular Asian sports should be considered for future Olympics, recommends ClearSports.com

 

Dragonboat Racing - A team paddling sport with ancient pedigree but has become popular across the globe only in the past two or three decades.

Ju-jitsu - Although the differences are fairly subtle to those not schooled in the martial arts, sports ju-jitsu is not the same as judo. Its practitioners insist it is a separate sport altogether and should be recognized as such. 

Kabaddi - An indoor sport in which two teams send players (“raiders”) into the opposing side and win points by tagging some of the opposition players. It is highly popular in India, Bangladesh and Iran. 

Muay Thai - What most of the world calls Thai boxing. In addition to gloved fists, Thai boxers kick with their bare feet. Thai boxing is often portrayed in movies featuring various martial arts stars.

Pentaque - Pentaque is a variation on bowling in which players stand in a circle and throw a metal ball to a small wooden ball. It is mainly a French game, but it is played in many parts of Southeast Asia, especially Laos and Vietnam.

Sepak takraw - A sport popular in Thailand and throughout Southeast Asia. The terms come from Malay for kick and Thai for ball, hence sepak takraw means kickball. Takraw is similar to volleyball as it is played with a net, but it also simulates soccer in that a player (save for the server) cannot use his or her hands. It is played throughout Southeast Asia.

Silat - An umbrella term for a variety of competitive martial arts forms that have evolved in Malaysia and Indonesia (where it is called Pencak Silat). There are in fact more than a hundred known silat styles in the region, some involving the use of bladed weapons such as the kris. It is a recognized sport in the Asian and Southeast Asia Games.

Sumo - Two behemoths enter the ring, psych each other out and then spring forward, grappling and pushing until one of them falls outside the ring. It is over in a few seconds. Mongolians currently dominate even though professional sumo is not played in Mongolia.

Wushu  - Literally martial arts in Mandarin Chinese. It is now considered a competitive sport, on par with other sports originating from martial arts such as judo or taekwondo, and it is said to be China’s most popular sport.