Sportales > Sports

Seven Most Bizarre Sports You've Probably Never Heard of

by ellen_ruppart, Mar 2, 2008

These are the most bizarre and weirdest sports happening in the world today. They are dangerous and jaw-dropping, and you've probably never heard of them.

Buzkashi

National Sport of Afghanistan Translated in English, “buzkashi” means “goat grabbing” or “goat killing”. A group of players from two teams are placed on horseback in a circle around a headless carcass of a goat, or a sheep calf. The object of the game is to pick up the body of the goat and steer it across a goal line or winner's circle. Prior to the game, the carcass is gutted and soaked in water for a day to ensure that it stays together and isn't torn to pieces while it is being grabbed by hundreds of horsemen.
Ba', Ba', Black Eyes

This game is played twice a year in Kirkwall, one of the Orkney Islands in Scotland; once on Christmas Day and then on New Year's day starting at 1PM. This is considered one of the most dangerous games on earth, partly because there are no rules. There are two teams: the Uppies (from the north) and the Doonies (from the south). The ba' is a three-pound leather ball. For the Doonies to win, they must dunk the ball into the water of Kirkwall's harbor. For the Uppies to win, they must touch the ba' to a wall at the southern end of town. There are no referees, and anything goes in the game, including kicking, head-butting, and breaking down doors. A number of broken ribs and casualties are reported every year.
Zorbing

This game originated in New Zealand in the 1990s and is slowly making its way into Asia. It is often described as “the sport of rolling down a hill or walking on water inside a giant inflatable ball”. The zorb is an inflatable ball of clear plastic with a space in the middle that fits a person. Zorbers place themselves inside the ball and walk (or run) on water or roll down a hill. A number of zorbing races take place each year, where zorbers attempt to complete a race on water in record time.
Cheese Rolling

Cheese rolling is an annual panorama that takes place in Cooper's Hill in Gloucestershire. This game is simple and dangerous. A large hunk of cheese is sent rolling down the hill, and the fierce competitors lunge down the hill chasing the cheese. It is essentially a downhill footrace down an almost vertical hill. Hundreds of spectators are expected to make it to the event annually, chanting “roll that cheese”! It is also responsible for a number of casualties, and a first aid and ambulance service is always on the set. One year, a spectator was seriously injured when he was hit in the face with the cheese!
Wife-Carrying

This is an annual event that takes place in Sonkajarvi, Finland. In the Wife-Carrying Championships, men must run through 250 meters of obstacles, including a water jump, while carrying their wives on their back. If a man happens to drop his wife anytime during the race, he incurs a 15 second penalty. The annual prize is her weight in beer.
Chessboxing
Chessboxing is a demanding combination of strength and wits. The World Chess Boxing Organization administers this sport, where two opponents play alternating rounds of chess and boxing. First, a 4 minute round of chess is played, then a 1 minute pause, followed by a round of boxing for 3 minutes, and so on. An opponent wins by a checkmate or exceeding the time limit in the chess round, or retirement or referee decision in a boxing round.
Bog Snorkeling

This is a game that puts your sense of smell (or lack of it) to the test. Competitors snorkel through dirty, smelly mud water through a 60 yeard trench cut out for a peat bog. The candidate that completes the obstacle course in the shortest time wins the game. This is a tough game, because snorkels and flippers are used and swimming cannot be done. This game is typically done in Llanwrtyd Wells in Wales, and the fastest time on record is 1 minute, 35 seconds.