Editing Laurent Hamet (section)

== European Paintball Federation ==

=== Establishment and leadership ===

Hamet was a leading figure in the establishment and development of the [[European Paintball Federation]].

The federation was created to bring together national paintball associations and establish a continental structure for the administration and development of competitive paintball.

A contemporary 2012 account described Hamet as a principal driving force behind EPBF and efforts to develop national and international paintball federations.[3]

The federation's 2013 annual report identified Hamet as president and Patrice Guigou as general secretary.[4]

The report also listed Hamet as a member of the federation's competitions committee.

EPBF's 2015 presentation continued to identify Hamet as president and named him chairman of the competitions commission.[11]

=== European national-team championships ===

During Hamet's presidency, EPBF developed European championships for national representative teams.

These competitions operated alongside established European tournament events, including those of the Millennium Series.

Hamet's involvement in both the federation and the commercial tournament circuit helped connect national-team competition with the existing European tournament infrastructure.

The federation's official records document its work on championship regulations, national federation participation and international competition planning.[4][12]

=== Competition development ===

Hamet participated in discussions concerning new tournament formats and methods of reducing the cost of competitive paintball.

At an EPBF congress documented in 2015, he presented the '''M500''' competition concept, which limited the quantity of paintballs players could carry during a match.

The proposed format was intended to reduce paint expenditure and potentially shorten matches.

The congress record stated that the format had been demonstrated at a Millennium Series event in Puget-sur-Argens, France.[12]

The same proceedings discussed alternative formats for women's national-team championships, including smaller team sizes intended to make participation more accessible to countries with fewer female players.

These proposals illustrate Hamet's involvement in tournament development beyond the administration of existing competitions.

=== Youth development ===

At an EPBF congress held in Barcelona in December 2016, Hamet emphasised the importance of youth development to the future of European paintball.

The congress proceedings record his argument that national federations should develop programmes to introduce younger participants to the sport.

He also encouraged cooperation between federations with established youth programmes and those seeking to develop similar initiatives.[13]

=== General secretary ===

By February 2019, Hamet was serving as general secretary of the European Paintball Federation.

Official minutes of an executive committee meeting held in Amsterdam on 11 February 2019 identified:

* Ainsley Baddeley — president
* Laurent Hamet — general secretary
* Ulrich Staehr — senior vice-president
* Laurent Capron — French Paintball Federation representative
* Patrice Guigou — EPBF co-founder and French Paintball Federation representative

The minutes also documented Hamet's involvement in financial discussions, European championship planning and relations with the [[United Paintball Federation]].[5]

The precise date on which Hamet ceased serving as EPBF president and assumed the general secretary position has not been established.