AUSTRALIA'S national team has been thrown out of the World Cup of kabaddi - a brutal team game of chanting, tackling and held-breath raids on opposition territory - disgraced as the worst doping offenders in a tournament beset by drugs scandals.

After five players failed drug tests and two more fled from testers, Australia was left without enough players to field a team, and Afghanistan was awarded their group match in a walk-over.

A fringe sport in Australia ... kabaddi. Credit:Penny Stephens

Australia has been officially kicked out of the tournament, the first team ever suspended.

''Five of Australia's players tested positive in anti-dope tests and two absconded, maybe out of fear of facing such a test,'' organising secretary Pargat Singh told reporters.