About 200 Kabaddi players from India have been lured with cash and gifts to play for 22 Canadian clubs in the 2010 season.
Another 100 have been picked up by clubs in England as the international Kabaddi circuit grows in popularity in Western countries with huge South Asian populations.
The Kabaddi season in Canada started last week and most of the players brought in from India can earn anywhere between C$10,000 up to $50,000 during the summer months after which they return to play in India, where the Kabaddi season runs during the winter months.
This season, Kuljit Singh Malsihan bagged Canada’s top contract for three million rupees (about C$68,000). India captain Mangat Singh Mangi got a two million-rupee contract, while Gurlal Singh Ghanour is the highest paid player on the English circuit, with a 2.5 million rupee deal.
Kabaddi is a combative team game, played on a rectangular court, either out-doors or indoors with seven players on the ground for each side.
Each side takes alternate chances of offence and defense. The basic idea of the game is to score points by raiding into the opponent’s court and touching as many defense players as possible without getting caught on a single breath.
The ancient game and popular game in India, which calls for no sophisticated equipment, has a strong following in Canada.
The sport is so popular with the Non-resident Indian community purely because the guy with the best team gets the most respect and wields great influence in their social circuit overseas, said the Hindustan Times.
“Kabaddi is very popular in Canada and a good player can earn his living through it,” Kulwinder Singh, captain of the Canadian team at the recent World Kabaddi Cup 2010 in Punjab and originally from Kapurthala, told the Hindustan Times.
Kulwinder went to Canada to play professional Kabaddi for a Vancouver club in the early 90s and then settled there after marrying a Canadian citizen.
“Every year, hundreds of Kabaddi players from Punjab play professional Kabaddi for different clubs in Canada and England and the money is increasing day by day,” said Sangrur’s Satpal Singh, who is headed for Canada to commentate on Kabaddi matches.
 “This year, around 300 players applied for the Canadian visa, but only 200 could get it.”
Even the commentators make good money. A good commentator earns about 300,000 rupees from the Indian circuit and another 300,000 rupees if he goes to Canada or England.
 “Commentary is a full time profession and my only source of income,” said Satpal.
The Hindustan Times said  Punjab player, Dulla Phelwan, now settled in the US, got an 18-wheel truck worth US $100,000 from the owner of Shahid Bhagat Singh Sports Club for being instrumental in the club topping the American Kabaddi circuit last year.
The sport got an international boost last March with the World Kabaddi Cup 2010 in Punjab where Canada outplayed Italy by a big margin of 66-22 and attained third spot in the tournament.
India beat Pakistan to win the 10-day tournament, which included teams from the US, Great Britain, Iran and Australia
Indian captain Mangat Singh Mangi was declared the best stopper and Canadian Kuljit Singh Malsihan was adjudged the best raider. Both were awarded a tractor each.
Besides winning this coveted cup, Indian team members were all given state government jobs.
According to punjabisports.com, while gaining in popularity the sport is also gaining a measure of notoriety because of some players in the international circuit have been caught using banned substances while some others have been involved in the drug trade.
Nine players who played in the World Kabaddi Cup 2010 in Punjab tested positive for using banned drugs while playing in the Kabaddi Cup.
Last month B.C.-based professional Kabaddi player Davinder Singh, 42, of Delta got five years in jail for trafficking in drugs to the United States.
Kabaddi association officials plan to conduct random tests during this year season to stop the drug and steroid use in players.
Players are also being tested in India, before their visas are being issued.
Punjabisports.com said Kabaddi federation officials are pushing for random tests after each match to weed out the menace.
“This is a big step towards recognition of Kabaddi on world stage and if people who love Kabaddi keep doing these positive changes, the day will come when we can see Kabaddi in Olympics,” the website noted.