Editing Sepak takraw (section)

{{Short description|Southeast Asian sport}}
{{about|the modern sport of Sepak takraw|the traditional Malay game|Sepak raga}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}
{{Infobox sport
| name       = Sepak takraw
| image      = Incheon AsianGames Sepaktakraw 09 (15291705581).jpg
| imagesize  = 
| alt        = 
| caption    = Women's double Sepak Takraw event at the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon
| union      = [[International Sepaktakraw Federation|ISTAF]]
| nickname   = kick volleyball
| first      = 1960, [[Kuala Lumpur]], Malaysia
| firstlabel = Standardized
| registered = 
| clubs      = 31
| contact    = No
| Total no 
Players     = 3
| mgender    = No
| type       = outdoor, indoor, beach
| equipment  = synthetic plastic or [[rattan]] ball, [[Net and wall games|net]]
| venue      = Sepak Takraw court
| glossary   = 
| region     = [[Asia]]
| olympic    = No
| world      = 
| paralympic = No
| obsolete   = 
| IWGA       = No
}}

'''Sepak takraw''', or '''Sepaktakraw''',<ref name = "Victoria"/> also called ''' buka ball''', '''kick volleyball''' or '''foot volleyball''', is a [[team sport]]. It is played with a ball made of [[rattan]] or plastic between two teams of two to four players on a court resembling a badminton court.<ref name="kelley">{{cite web|author=Shawn Kelley| url=http://www.tatnews.org/emagazine/2813.asp| title=Takraw: A Traditional Southeast Asian Sport| access-date=30 July 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070710234948/http://www.tatnews.org/emagazine/2813.asp <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = 10 July 2007}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book| title=Sport in Asian Society: Past and Present|page=220|author=J. A. Mangan, Fan Hong|isbn=978-0-7146-8330-0|year= 2002|publisher=Frank Cass Publishers}}</ref> It is similar to [[volleyball]] and [[footvolley]] in its use of a rattan ball and players using only their feet, knees, shoulders, chest and head to touch the ball. Sepak Takraw is often referred to as a mixture of volleyball, due to its use of a net, and [[association football]], as players use their feet.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Team|first=Editorial|date=2021-11-05|title=Sepak Takraw: The History, Rules And Equipment|url=https://historyofsoccer.info/sepak-takraw|access-date=2021-12-21|website=historyofsoccer.info|language=en-US}}</ref>

The sport's modern version was introduced, developed and standardized in 1960 when officials from Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Myanmar met in [[Kuala Lumpur]] to agree on a name and standard rules for it.<ref name="OCASIA">{{cite web|title=Sepaktakraw|publisher=Olympic Council of Asia|url=https://www.ocasia.org/sports/14-sepaktakraw-se.html|access-date=10 July 2021|archive-date=27 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210727115032/https://ocasia.org/sports/14-sepaktakraw-se.html|url-status=live}}</ref> It was previously known as Sepak Raga Jaring, and was first exhibited in Penang in 1945. It was introduced in the [[1965 Southeast Asian Peninsular Games|1965 Southeast Asian Games]] in Kuala Lumpur as a medal event. Sepak Takraw is considered Malaysia's national sport.<ref name = "Victoria">{{Cite book| title=Weird Sports and Wacky Games around the World: From Buzkashi to Zorbing: From Buzkashi to Zorbing|page=264| author=Victoria R. Williams| isbn=9781610696401|year= 2015|publisher=ABC-CLIO}}</ref><ref name="kelley"/>

Sepak takraw is governed internationally by the [[International Sepaktakraw Federation]] (ISTAF), formed in 1988, which is responsible for major international tournaments including the [[ISTAF SuperSeries|ISTAF SuperSeries (ISS)]] and [[ISTAF World Cup|ISTAF World Cup (IWC)]], Malaysia's Khir Johari Cup, and Thailand's [[King's Cup Sepaktakraw World Championship|King Cup]].

Sepak takraw resembles native sports known as ''[[Sepak Raga]]'' in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore; ''Takraw and Rago/Raga'' in Indonesia; ''[[Sipà|Sipa]]'' in the Philippines; ''[[Chinlone]]'' in Myanmar; ''Takraw'' in Thailand; ''Kataw'' in Laos; and ''Sek Dai'' in Cambodia. It is also claimed to be related to ''[[Cuju]]'' in China, ''Cau May'' in Vietnam, ''[[Jegichagi]]'' in Korea and ''[[Kemari]]'' in Japan.