STORY: Sagbali gains popularity among Ivorian youths
SHOOTING TIME: March 17, 2024
DATELINE: March 21, 2024
LENGTH: 00:03:43
LOCATION: Abidjan
CATEGORY: SPORTS

SHOTLIST:
1. various of people practicing Sagbali
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (French): JULIEN KACOU, Athlete
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (French): HERMANN GOLI, Organizer and promoter of Sagbali in Cote d'Ivoire
4. various of people practicing Sagbali

STORYLINE:

Sagbali, a new combat sport, has become one of the most popular sports among youths in Cote d'Ivoire.

It combines traditional and modern wrestling techniques. Both male and female can compete in the arena.

To maintain good physical condition, some athletes hold impromptu competitions every Saturday at temporary venues such as the beach.

SOUNDBITE 1 (French): JULIEN KACOU, Athlete
"This was my first time playing this sport. I didn't know anything about it before. My friend introduced me to the sport, so I decided to give it a try this year. After participating in this sport, I found that it is very beneficial to health, like other sports. This is a contact sport and its defensive skills can help us better protect ourselves in any situation. To be honest, today's game made me feel great, and I hope to become the champion of this project one day in the future."

SOUNDBITE 2 (French): HERMANN GOLI, Organizer and promoter of Sagbali in Cote d'Ivoire
"Sagbali, truly, comes from African soil, doesn't it? In villages and counties, this sport has been widely practiced. Young people brought the sport to Abidjan and gave it a modern twist. Today's Sagbali has both traditional features and modern techniques. This fusion of tradition and modernity has created a new Sagbali. The word Sagbali comes from the street dialect of Cote d'Ivoire and means to throw the opponent to the ground. During the Sagbali competition, we have a head referee, a scorer, and a time referee. There are two ways to win the game. One is to knock your opponent to the ground, and the other is to push your opponent out of the arena three times. The sport of Sagbali is very popular in Cote d'Ivoire. Since 2007, we have been promoting this sport through the power of media and various domestic events. In every city we visited, this sport was embraced. People may be a little timid at first, but after watching it for a while, they will fall in love with the sport."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Abidjan.
(XHTV)