Top 5 Sports in the Philippines

Top Sports In the Philippines

Sports play a very important role in one’s life. Not only it helps us to stay fit and healthy but it also provides an opportunity to an individual of living his dream and being successful. With the growing technology, love for sports and viewership, popularity of sports has been increasing tremendously. Therefore, importance and value of sports for every individual is simply unquestionable and without any doubt. Playing a sport is totally different from watching a sport. Some people take part in the game, play and stay fit whereas some just watch it for entertainment. The article below focuses on the viewership of sports. According to the popularity of sports as most viewed, here is a list of top 10 loved sports in the Philippines:

Faculty vs. ICT knights

1. 1.  Basketball

It is the most loved sports in the Philippines. The players are generally tall and energetic. Basketball is one of the few sports whose exact origin is definitely known. In the winter of 1891–1892, Dr. James Naismith, an instructor in the YMCA Training College (now Springfield College) at Springfield, Mass., deliberately invented the game of basketball in order to provide indoor exercise and competition for the students between the closing of the football season and the opening of the baseball season. He affixed peach baskets overhead on the walls at opposite ends of the gymnasium and organized teams to play his new game in which the purpose was to toss an association (soccer) ball into one basket and prevent the opponents from tossing the ball into the other basket. Because Dr. Naismith had eighteen available players when he invented the game, the first rule was: “There shall be nine players on each side.” Later the number of players became optional, depending upon the size of the available court, but the five-player standard was adopted when the game spread over the country. U.S. soldiers brought basketball to Europe in World War I, and it soon became a worldwide sport.

From: filipinofootball.blogspot.com

1. 2.Football

It is the 2^nd most loved sports in the Philippines.  Football refers to a game where you have to score a goal by kicking a ball using your foot. The beauty of this game is that it is the most economical sports to practice require only one ball. Irrespective of the wealth it can be played by anyone .it is only the most widely watched sport but also the most played game in the world.

While football traces its origins to rugby and soccer, the unique history of American football has resulted in a game that substantially differs from its predecessors. As such, even those who are familiar with rugby and soccer might find football difficult to follow. Although a short summary might not sufficiently cover the intricacies of football, knowing its basic rules and goals can help you to develop a deeper understanding of the game.

From: english.sina.com

3Badminton

It is the 3^rd most loved sports in the Philippines.  Badminton is a racquet sport played by either two opposing players (singles) or two opposing pairs (doubles), who take positions on opposite halves of a rectangular court divided by a net. Players score points by striking a shuttlecock with their racquet so that it passes over the net and lands in their opponents' half of the court. Each side may only strike the shuttlecock once before it passes over the net. A rally ends once the shuttlecock has struck the floor, or if a fault has been called by either the umpire or service judge or, in their absence, the offending player, at any time during the rally.

The shuttlecock (or shuttle) is a feathered (or, mainly in uncompetitive games, plastic) projectile whose unique aerodynamic properties cause it to fly differently than the balls used in most racquet sports; in particular, the feathers create much higher drag, causing the shuttlecock to decelerate more rapidly than a ball. Shuttlecocks have a much higher top speed, when compared to other racquet sports. Because shuttlecock flight is affected by wind, competitive badminton is played indoors. Badminton is also played outdoors as a casual recreational activity, often as a garden or beach game.

From: www. demotix.com

4. Sepak Takraw

It is the 4^th most loved sports in the Philippines.  The origins of Sepak Takraw remains a matter of intense debate in Southeast Asia, as several countries proudly claim it as their own. There is, however, some agreement that the game was introduced to Southeast Asia through commercial contact with China, where an ancient form of the game originated.

It is believed that many variations of the game evolved from an ancient Chinese military exercise, where soldiers would try to keep a feathered shuttlecock airborne by kicking it back and forth between two or more people. As the sport developed, the animal hide and chicken feathers were eventually replaced by balls made of woven strips of rattan.

From ph.sports.yahoo.com

5Boxing

It is the 5^th most loved sports in the Philippines. Boxing is one of the oldest known sports, with 2,000-year-old depictions on the walls of tombs in Egypt and stone carvings indicating that Sumerians, who lived in what is now Iraq, boxed at least 5,000 years ago.

Boxing began as an exhausting and brutal spectacle. In ancient Greece, two men would sit face to face with their fists wrapped in strips of leather. They would hit each other until one of them fell to the ground unconscious--or dead. Roman fighters wore cestuses (leather straps plated with metal) to shorten the length of the bouts. Shortly before the birth of Christ, Romans prohibited boxing, because the sport had become so savage.

What was called the golden age of U.S. boxing began in 1920 in New York with legislation that permitted public prizefighting and introduced fighters such as Jack Dempsey, Gene Tunney and Joe Louis.

Attendance at boxing matches declined during the '50s with the advent of television. Many fight fans preferred to watch major fights on TV at home rather than watch from a ringside seat.

view Rules and Regulations

Benifits of the game

Rules and Regulation with Violation of the game

*Basketball*

   
THE RULES AND REGULATIONS
       
          Basketball is a team sport. Two teams of five players each try to score by shooting a ball through a hoop elevated 10 feet above the ground. The game is played on a rectangular floor called the court, and there is a hoop at each end. The court is divided into two main sections by the mid-court line. If the offensive team puts the ball into play behind the mid-court line, it has ten seconds to get the ball over the mid-court line. If it doesn't, then the defense gets the ball. Once the offensive team gets the ball over the mid-court line, it can no longer have possession of the ball in the area in back of the line. If it does, the defense is awarded the ball.

THE VIOLATIONS

          The penalty for a violation is the award of the ball to the opponents at the near out-of- bounds point. The following are violations:   

1. Double dribble - dribbling with both hands at once.

  2. Travelling – taking more than one step with the ball without   passing, dribbling or shooting.

  3. Stepping on or over the restraining line during a jump ball or free throw.

    4.Intentionally kicking the ball.

    5. Stepping out of bounds or causing the ball to go out of bounds.

    6. Taking more than 10 seconds to cross the center line from the back to the front court. Once in the front court, the ball may not be returned to the back court by the offensive team.

   7.Remaining more than 3 seconds in the area under the offensive basket.

     *FOOTBALL*    

     THE RULES AND REGULATIONS

The following is a very simple summary of the key laws of the game of football, hopefully written in an easy-to-understand way. Professional soccer mostly follows the same rules set down for international competitions.

      Field Measurements

      The game is played within an area those measures between 100 and 130 yards long and between 50 and 100 yards wide. The goal is 24 feet wide and 8 feet high. The penalty area extends 18 yards from the goal and is 44 yards wide. A center line divides the field into two halves.

     Number of Players

    Each soccer team is allowed 11 players on the field at one time. One of those players is the goalkeeper, the only player allowed to use his hands. Players move the ball by dribbling or passing the ball using any part of their body except their hands and arms. Teams are allowed to replace players with substitutes, but in professional and international soccer a player is not allowed to return once he is removed from the game.

   

    Scoring and Offside

    

    The object of soccer is to score more goals than your opponent. A goal occurs when the ball goes inside the goal posts and under the connecting crossbar. The ball must also pass all the way across a line that stretches from one goal post to the other. Scoring is influenced by the offside rule. A player must have two opponents, one of whom is usually the goalkeeper, between him and the goal when the ball is passed.

   

    THE VIOLATIONS

1.      Unnecessary roughness, kneeing or any flagrant roughness, including running over the defense by the ball carrier or playing the person instead of the flag 

2.      Unsportsmanlike conduct 

3.      Tripping 

4.      Intentionally kicking of a free ball 

5.      Intentional hurdling or jumping over any player (offense or defense) which creates an unsafe condition

*BADMINTON*

   THE RULES AND REGULATIONS

         1.    Net Height: 5 Feet

       2.  A player may not touch the net with a racket or with his/her  body during play.

           3.  A birdie may not come to rest or be carried on the racket.

        4.  A birdie may hit the net on its way across during play and the rally can continue.

        5.  A term of service is called an inning.

        6.  A player may not reach over the net to hit the shuttlecock.

       7.  A loss of serve is called a side out.

          8.  Points may only be scored when serving.

          9.  A coin toss or spin of racket determines who will serve first.

         10.  The serve must travel diagonally (cross court) to be good.

        11.  A serve that touches the net and lands in the proper court is called a let serve and is reserved, otherwise, only one serve is permitted to each court until a side out occurs. A serve that is totally missed may be tried again.

       12.  The racket must make contact with the birdie below the waist on a serve.

    13. The server and receiver shall stand with in the respective service courts until the serve is made.

        14.  Servers will serve from the right side of the court when their score is even (0,2,4,6, etc) and from the left side of the court when their score is odd (1,3,5, etc.)

       15.   Doubles Serving: The team that wins the serve, only one person from that team will serve. Once the serve is broken the other team will get the serve. The first player will serve until their serve is broken and then their partner will serve until they are broken. After both players’ serves are broken, the team that began the game serving will serve again and both players will serve until they are each broken. 

      THE VIOLATIONS

Any violation is called a fault.

            Faults on Service:

a)         Stepping over or touching any boundary line before the bird has been hit.

b)         The head of the racquet is above the waist when the bird is hit.

c)         The bird is hit more than once.

d)         Hitting the bird with any part of the racquet and then not having it cross the net.

e)         The bird touches any part of the body during service.

f)         NOT A FAULT IF YOU SWING AND MISS WHILE SERVING.

g)      It is a fault if the bird goes outside the court but not a fault if it falls on any of the boundary lines.

h)      It is a fault if the bird falls short of the service court into the area between the short service line and the net.

*SEPAK TAKRAW*

   THE RULES AND REGULATIONS

       Measurements of court and equipment often vary among tournaments and organisations that operate from a recreational to a competitive level; international competitive rules and regulation are used in this section.

Court

The sepak takraw sport is played on a similar to badminton double sized court.

Area of 13.4 m x 6.1 m free from all obstacles up to the height of 8 m measured from the floor surface (sand and grass court not advisable). The width of the lines bounding the court should not be more than 0.04 m measured and drawn inwards from the edge of the court measurements. All the boundary lines should be drawn at least 3.0 m away from all obstacles. The centre line of 0.02 m should be drawn equally dividing the right and left court.

At the corner of each at the centre line, the quarter circle shall be drawn from the sideline to the centre line with a radius of 0.9 m measured and drawn outwards from the edge of the 0.9 m radius.

The service circle of 0.3 m radius shall be drawn on the left and on the right court, the centre of which is 2.45 m from the back line of the court and 3.05 m from the sidelines, the 0.04 m line shall be measured and drawn outward from the edge of the 0.3 m radius.
Net

    The net shall be made of fine ordinary cord or nylon with 6 mm to 8 mm mesh. Similar to a volleyball net.

    The net shall be 0.7 m in width and not shorter than 6.10 m in length and taped at 0.05 m from tape double at the top and sideline, called boundary tape.

    The net shall be edged with 0.05 m tape double at the top and the bottom of the net supported by a fine ordinary cord or nylon cord that runs through the tape and strain over and flush with the top of the posts. The top of the net shall be 1.52 m (1.42 m for women) in height from the centre and 1.55 m (1.45 m for women's) at the posts.

 Ball

   The sepak takraw ball shall be spherical in shape, made of synthetic fiber or one woven layer.

Sepak takraw balls without synthetic rubber covering must consist of the following characteristics; Have 12 holes. Have 20 intersections. Have a circumference measuring not less from 0.42 m to 0.44 m for men and from 0.43 m to 0.45 m for women. Have a weight that range from 170 grams to 180 grams for men and from 150 grams (5.3 oz) to 160 grams for women.

Players

    A match is played by two regus (teams), each consisting of three players.

   One of the three players shall be at the back; he is called a “Tekong”. The other two players shall be in front, one on the left and the other on the right. The player on the left is called a “Left Inside” and the player on the right is called a “Right Inside”.
Start of play and service

   The side that must serve first shall start the first set. The side that wins the first set shall have the options of “Choosing Service”.

   The throw must be executed as soon as the referee calls the score. If either of the "Inside" players throws the ball before the referee calls the score, it must be re-thrown and a warning will be given to the thrower.

    During the service, as soon as the Tekong kicks the ball, all the players are allowed to move about freely in their respective courts.

    The service is valid if the ball passes over the net, whether it touches the net or not, and inside the boundary of the two net tapes and boundary lines of the opponent’s court.

THE VIOLATIONS

Serving side during service

• The "Inside" player who is making service throws, plays with the(throwing up the ball, bumping, giving to other "Inside" player etc.) after the call of score has been made by the referee.
• The "Inside" player lifts his feet or steps on the line or crosses over or touches the net while throwing the ball.
• The Tekong jumps off the ground to execute the service.
• The Tekong does not kick the ball on the service throw.
• The ball touches his own player before crossing over the opponent court.
• The ball goes over the net but falls outside the court.
• The ball does not cross to the opponent side.
• A player uses his hand or hands, or any other part of his arms to facilitate the execution of a kick even if the hand or arm does not directly touch the ball, but it touches other objects or surfaces instead when doing so. 

*BOXING*  

 
THE RULES AND REGULATIONS

1.           Each round shall consist of a three (3)-minute (Females: two (2)-minute) duration, with a one (1)-minute rest period between rounds.

2.         Mandatory durations of WBF championship contests are as follows:

(a)   World Titles: 12 Rounds (Females: 10 Rounds)

(b)   Intercontinental Titles: 12 Rounds (Females: 10 Rounds)

(c)   International Titles: 10 Rounds (or 12 Rounds upon request) (Females: 8 Rounds)

(d)   Regional Titles: 10 Rounds

3.       Any WBF Champion must defend his/her title within nine (9) months, otherwise the title may be declared vacant in the discretion of the WBF.

4.        Any WBF Champion that participates in a title bout not sanctioned by the WBF or any non-title bout without the approval of the WBF will be subject, in the discretion of the WBF, to his/her title being declared vacant. Notwithstanding the above, the WBF Championship Committee may also vacate a title in case of serious violations of these Rules & Regulations or if the actions of a WBF Champion are deemed harmful to the reputation of professional boxing and/or the WBF.

5.    Upon approval of a championship contest, the WBF Championship Committee may shorten the regular 9-month defence period and/or order a mandatory defence. If a WBF Champion is overdue a defence, a mandatory defence may also be ordered.

FOULS AND INJURIES

         The WBF adopts and incorporates by reference the Unified Rules of the Association of Boxing Commissions (ABC) as amended from time to time for all WBF championship contest. As of July 24, 2012, the Unified Rules provide:

1.      If a boxer sustains an injury from a fair blow and the injury is severe enough to terminate the contest, the injured boxer shall lose by technical knockout (TKO).

2.      Injuries sustained by fouls:

(a)   Intentional Fouls

1.     If an intentional foul causes an injury, and the injury is severe enough to terminate the contest immediately, the boxer causing the injury shall lose by disqualification (DQ).

2.     If an intentional foul causes an injury, and the contest is allowed to continue, the referee shall notify the authorities and deduct two (2) points from the boxer who caused the foul. Point deductions for intentional fouls will be mandatory.

3.     If an intentional foul causes an injury, and the injury results in the contest being stopped in a later round, the injured boxer will win by TECHNICAL DECISION if he is ahead on the scorecards; and the contest will result in a TECHNICAL DRAW if the injured boxer is behind or even on the scorecards.

4.     If a boxer injures himself while attempting to intentionally foul his opponent, the referee will not take any action in his favor, and this injury shall be the same as one produced by a fair blow.

5.     If the referee feels that a boxer has conducted himself in an unsportsman-like manner, he may stop the contest and disqualify the boxer.

(b)   Accidental Fouls

1.     If an accidental foul causes an injury, and the injury is severe enough to terminate the contest immediately, the contest will result in a NO DECISION if stopped before four (4) completed rounds. Four (4) rounds are complete when the bell rings signifying the end of the fourth round.

2.     If an accidental foul causes an injury, and the injury is severe enough to terminate the contest immediately after four (4) rounds have occured, the contest will result in a TECHNICAL DECISION awarded to the boxer who is ahead on the scorecards at the time the contest is stopped.

3.     Partial or incomplete rounds will be scored. If no action has occured, the round should be scored as an even round. This is at the discretion of the judges.

3.      A boxer who is hit with an accidental low blow must continue after a reasonable amount of time, but no more than five (5) minutes, or he/she will lose the contest.

Benefits of the Game