Paintball in Libya
Paintball in Libya is documented through commercial playing fields, contemporary news reports, photographs and recreational group activities. Records identify paintball centres in the Tripoli area by 2012, alongside subsequent activity in Benghazi.[1][2][3]
History
[edit]On 6 May 2012, Libya Herald described a recently opened paintball centre in Shargeyya, Tripoli. The report stated that visitors could play in teams of ten with up to 400 paintballs per person.[1]
On 6 December 2012, Libya Monitor reported that a centre named Paintball Libya had recently opened on a 10,000-square-metre site in Janzour, on the outskirts of Tripoli.[2]
Reuters reported that paintball had been prohibited under Muammar Gaddafi and subsequently reintroduced in Benghazi.[3]
Playing fields and participation
[edit]Paintball Libya
[edit]Paintball Libya maintains a Facebook page identifying its location in the Tripoli area. A cover photograph published on 25 January 2023 depicts a netted airball playing area with blue inflatable bunkers, alongside a separate area containing masonry obstacles and a vehicle.[4]
The operator has also published photographs and an account of a school group visiting its club in Janzour.[5]
An undated business-directory description of Paintball Libya advertises three-a-side and five-a-side speedball games, with capture-the-flag objectives, five-minute rounds and referees.[6]
Extream Paintball
[edit]Extream Paintball advertised a paintball centre in the Shabiyat Abd al-Jalil area of Janzour. Its public records include school visits and recreational matches in January 2019. A post dated 5 July 2019 documented a visit by members of the Hay al-Andalus Scouts and Guides.[7][8]
Benghazi
[edit]Sniper Paintball Benghazi has advertised recreational paintball and published records of visiting groups. Posts reproduced from its Facebook page document repeated playing sessions during January and February 2025, including a visit from Al-Tanwir school on 8 February and a Ras Lanuf Scout group on 16 February.[9]
Women's participation
[edit]A photographic essay by Valerie Stocker, published by Qantara.de, documents young women from Tripoli and Zawiya participating in paintball.[10]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- Springtime in Tripoli. Rhiannon Smith, Libya Herald, 6 May 2012.
- New paintball centre opens in Janzour. Libya Monitor, 6 December 2012. Public introductory text; full article requires a subscription.
- Jan 21: Day in pics. Reuters photograph caption, Hindustan Times, updated 22 January 2013.
- Cover photograph. Paintball Libya, Facebook, 25 January 2023.
- School visit post. Paintball Libya, Facebook, displayed as 7 June; year not shown.
- Paintball Libya. BizMidEast, undated business listing.
- Extream Paintball. LocalGymsAndFitness, reproduced operator posts from 2018–2019.
- Hay al-Andalus Scouts and Guides visit. Extream Paintball, Facebook, 5 July 2019.
- Sniper paintball Benghazi. FindGlocal, reproduced operator posts from January–February 2025.
- Libya's children of war. Valerie Stocker, Qantara.de, photographic essay.