Myanmar and sports

Burma or Myanmar is an Asian country that is located in the western portion of mainland Southeast Asia. The country is famous for mountains, lakes, beaches, and adventure activities in the caves. The country is also known for its golden pagodas and ancient temples. The country participated in the Olympics for the first time in the year 1948. Some of the famous sports played in the country are football, Sepak Takraw, traditional boat races, athletics, weightlifting, canoe/kayak, shooting, boxing, volleyball, rowing, Wushu, etc.

Myanmar’s Sports Culture

The most popular sport in Myanmar is football, which is widely played by the youth of the nation. The other widely recognised sport in the country is Chinlone, which is a traditional sport. It is also known as caneball, because the ball used is made of rattan. Lethwei or Burmese kickboxing is another popular sport which is played mostly in the pagoda festival. It is practised in two different combat patterns, bando (unarmed combat) and banshay (armed combat). The country also has a national cricket team, but the team is not a member of the International Cricket Council.

Chinlone or Caneball

Myanmar’s national sport is caneball which is also known as Chinlone. It’s a hacky-sack style game in which many players kick a handwoven rattan ball around in a circle. As per the New York Times, the competitive form of the sport ‘mixes dance-like aerobatic manoeuvres with soccer juggling abilities” There is no opposition team, and participants are judged similarly to gymnastics competitors’.

At a sports tournament conducted at the Rangoon (Yangon) Government High School in 1908, Chinlone was first established as a game and competition with a scoring system. The Burma Athletic Association (BAA) hosted the All Burma (Myanmar) Chinlon Competition in 1940. Later, Rangoon (Yangon) hosted the All Burma (Myanmar) Chinlon Conference in 1953. Delegates from 33 districts attended the meeting, where they unanimously established and adopted the following game rules:

1) Individual chinlone tossing competition; 

2) Doubles chinlone tossing competition; 

3) Chinlone competition for a circle of players; and 

4) Chinlone competition for a circle of players for exhibiting talent, stance, and beauty of style.

According to the movement of Chinlone, the game legislation documented a total of 15 styles:

1. Fall
2. Rise
3. Give
4. Take
5. Control
6. Toss
7. Turn-up
8. Coming in
9. Going out
10. Cornering
11. Attack
12. Cut
13. Support
14. Touch the ground and
15. Up lift

Sepak Takraw

Sepak Takraw is one of the popular sports in Southeast Asia. It is also known as kick volleyball because of the manner in which this game is played. The game is played with a special rattan bed, and the players can’t touch the ball with their hands or arms; therefore, every player has to hit the ball with their leg, shoulder, or with their head. The field of the game is approximately the size of a badminton court. The game is played between two teams, where each team has three players. The rules of the game are a blend of volleyball and badminton rules. The first team to reach the score of 15 wins the game.

 The name is derived from two different words from two different countries. The word ‘Sepak’ is a Malay word which means to kick, while the word ‘takraw’ is a Thai word which means ball. The game is known by different names in different countries in the region, for example, Sipak in The Philippines, Takraw in Thailand, etc. In spite of the request from Malaysia, the game has not been accepted as an Olympic sport.

Burmese (Myanmar) Kickboxing

Burmese kickboxing, also known as the Lethwei, is a kind of traditional Myanmar martial art that is still popular among the people. Although it resembles Thai kickboxing and Western-style boxing on the surface, it maintains a more traditional, down-to-earth, and direct. In comparison to Queensberry boxing, Burmese kickboxing is more akin to street fighting. Despite Burmese kickboxing having its own set of regulations, the weapon is any part of the body, particularly the fists, knees, head, and elbows, and the target is any portion of the opponent’s head or body. The end result is a conflict that is not for the faint of heart.

The boxer’s hands and feet are wrapped in strips of linen. Scratching, biting, hair pulling, and striking or kicking an opponent in the crotch are all prohibited to safeguard boxers from mishaps. 

Top matches are now frequently hosted in Yangon and televised across Myanmar. Weight classifications range from light-flyweight to light-middleweight. While all the classes have to fight four or five rounds, the novice class fights only three rounds. The amount of successful kicks earns you points. A knockout happens when a contender is unable to stand after the count of eight or falls three times. 

Conclusion

Burma or Myanmar is an Asian country that is located in the western portion of mainland Southeast Asia. The most popular sport in Myanmar is football, followed by Chinlone or caneball, Sepak Takraw, and Burmese kickboxing.