What happens if a kabaddi player steps outside the court?
I · Intermediate · Raiding and defending · 3 of 7A player is out if any part of their body touches the ground outside the boundary. The raid carries on without a whistle. The one exception comes during a struggle: a player who touches the ground outside while still in contact with the court is not out.
How it works
- The rule: "A player will be out if any part of his body touches the ground outside the boundary."
- No whistle: the umpire or referee calls out the player's number, and the raid may continue.
- Taken off at once: the assistant scorer removes the player straight away.
- During a struggle: a player is not out for touching the ground outside if they keep contact with the play field.
- A defender who was out of bounds cannot catch: if they then hold the raider, the raider is not out. Only the defenders who went out are out.
- Resisting: a player who refuses to leave, argues or forces their way back into play is shown a card, and the raiding team gets a technical point on top of its other points.
The glossary has the boundary, the out player, the struggle, the lobby, the corner players and the technical point.
Tricky cases
A defender steps over the end line while dodging. Does play stop?
No. The defender is out and is called off by number, and the raid goes on. The raider's team gets the point.
During a hold, a defender's knee lands outside the side line while their hands are still on the court. Out?
No. In a struggle a player who "keeps contact with the play field" is not out.
A defender steps out, comes back in and helps to catch the raider. Is the raider out?
No. The raider is declared not out. The defender who went out of bounds is out.
A raider steps over the end line before touching anyone. Out?
Yes. The rule covers every player, and the defending team scores.
Why the rule exists
The boundary is the only wall the court has. Defenders back away from a raider and raiders run wide of a chain, so the edge is where most of the pressure ends up. Making the line fatal means space has to be won, not borrowed from outside.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Open play | Any part touching the ground outside the boundary: out | IKF Rule 27 |
| During a struggle | Not out while still in contact with the play field | IKF Rule 29 |
| Before a touch or struggle | The lobbies count as outside | IKF Rule 4b |
| Player resists leaving | Warning card and a technical point to the raiding team | IKF Rule 27 |
| Beach kabaddi | The boundary is a rope | Same book, beach chapter (opening pages only read) |
From the rule book
Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India, Rules and Regulations of All Forms of Kabaddi (version 2.1.0, the International Kabaddi Federation rules, 2017), Rules 4a, 4b, 27, 28 and 29. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: Rules and Regulations of All Forms of Kabaddi (PDF, a scan).