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Created page with "'''Iranian paintball''' refers to the development, organisation and competitive history of paintball in Iran. The sport became established in the country during the early 2000s and developed a domestic tournament structure, including the Iran National Paintball League (INPL), women's competitions and the Paintball League Middle East (PALM).[1][2] Iranian teams have competed internationally in the Paintball Asia League Series (PALS), World Cup Asia an..."
 
Updated Iranian paintball with contemporary evidence of commercial play in 2002, early Mashhad and Tochal directory records, the cautiously dated 1383 Mashhad competition, verified 2006 and 2007 national events, and the 2008–2009 league programme. Added the 1387 fourth stage held in March 2009, retained women's and international competition coverage, corrected team links and applied Iranian history categories. Avoided assigning national events to unsupported years.
 
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'''Iranian paintball''' refers to the development, organisation and competitive history of [[paintball]] in Iran. The sport became established in the country during the early 2000s and developed a domestic tournament structure, including the [[Iran National Paintball League]] (INPL), women's competitions and the [[Paintball League Middle East]] (PALM).[1][2]
'''Iranian paintball''' encompasses the recreational, competitive and organisational history of [[paintball]] in Iran. Contemporary reporting documents commercial play in Tehran in 2002, followed by national competitions, international team participation and organised women's competition.[1][2][3][4]


Iranian teams have competed internationally in the [[Paintball Asia League Series]] (PALS), [[World Cup Asia]] and other tournaments. [[Datis]], one of Iran's most successful tournament teams, won multiple Asian championships during the 2000s and 2010s.[3][4]
Iran's domestic tournament organisations have included the [[Iran National Paintball League]] (INPL) and [[Paintball League Middle East]] (PALM). [[Datis (Iran Paintball Team)|Datis]] and [[Datis Girls (Iran Paintball Team)|Datis Girls]] are among the Iranian teams documented in domestic and international competition.[5][6][7]


== History ==
== History ==


=== Introduction of paintball (2002–2005) ===
=== Early commercial paintball ===


Paintball was introduced commercially to Iran during the early 2000s.
Contemporary reports published in October and November 2002 document the introduction of commercial paintball in Tehran by Hamid Nikpour, an Iranian entrepreneur who had lived in Canada.[1][2]


One of the earliest documented operators was '''Hamid Nikpour''', an Iranian entrepreneur who had lived in Canada. Nikpour imported paintball equipment and established a playing facility in Tehran in 2002.
An Agence France-Presse report published on 25 October described a covered playing area of approximately 2,600 square metres and an announced opening that Sunday. Nikpour said that the imported markers had been examined and approved by the Ministry of Defence.[1]


Contemporary reporting by Agence France-Presse and ''The Christian Science Monitor'' described the opening of the Matrix paintball centre, located in a converted covered parking facility in Tehran.
In November, ''The Christian Science Monitor'' reported on play at the newly opened Matrix complex. Located in a converted covered parking facility, it contained sand, buildings, caves and a stream, with 120 markers available.[2]


The facility covered approximately 2,600 square metres and featured artificial terrain, buildings and other obstacles. Its equipment reportedly included 120 paintball markers imported from Canada.[1][5]
These reports establish commercial activity in 2002; they do not identify a national championship held that year.[1][2]


The importation of paintball markers required approval from Iranian authorities, who examined the equipment before allowing its use.
=== Expansion beyond Tehran ===


Nikpour also discussed the development of organised teams capable of competing internationally.[1]
WARPIG's field directory contains an entry for Mashhad Paintball dated 18 November 2004. It identifies the location as the Ershad complex on Vakilabad Boulevard. A separate entry for Tochal Paintball in Tehran is dated 7 August 2005.[8]


Women's participation was documented within the following years. In October 2005, ''Iranian.com'' published a photographic feature showing a women's paintball team in Iran.[6]
These are directory entry dates rather than confirmed opening dates.


=== Development of tournament paintball (2006–2011) ===
A retrospective post on the Iran Paintball Association's Telegram channel identifies a nationwide competition in Mashhad during Iranian year 1383. That year spans March 2004 to March 2005; the recovered caption does not establish an exact playing date or results.[9]


Iranian tournament paintball developed rapidly during the mid-2000s, with teams participating in domestic competitions and international events.
=== National competition in 2006 and 2007 ===


The Tehran-based team [[Datis]] became a prominent representative of Iranian paintball internationally.
The [[2006 Iran National Paintball Team Selection Tournament]] took place at Tochal Paintball Club in Tehran on 5 May 2006. Datis won, followed by Tigers and Javidan. IRNA reported that Datis would represent Iran at the forthcoming competition in Taiwan.[3]


At the 2006 [[World Cup Asia]], held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Datis won the Division 1 championship and secured the overall [[Paintball Asia League Series]] season title.[7]
The [[2007 Iran National Paintball Championship]] was held in Tehran from 2 to 4 August 2007, with 21 teams across professional and amateur sections.[4]


Datis repeated its PALS overall championship success in 2007 and reached the World Cup Asia Division 1 final that year, losing to South Africa's Reaper.[3]
Datis won the professional competition, followed by the Khorasan Razavi provincial team and Datis Omid. Farman Ara Tehran won the amateur section.[4]


Domestic competition also developed through the Iran Paintball League.
The contemporary report described this as the second national championship. It did not identify the event as an INPL round.[4]


In March 2010, ''ProPaintball.com'' reported that Datis had completed an undefeated four-event domestic season, defeating Persian Legend in the final tournament.
=== National league development ===


The report included an interview with Iranian player Aco Amir, who discussed the country's tournament structure, competitive development and participation in overseas events.[8]
The [[2008 INPL season]] included events during Iranian year 1387, extending into March 2009.[5][10]


=== International success (2010–2013) ===
A ''Resalat'' report published on 26 May 2008 recorded eight teams at the opening Persian Gulf Cup event. Datis Tehran won, Pas Javan finished second and Giv Khorasan Razavi third.[5]


Iranian teams achieved several major results in Asian competition during the early 2010s.
The second national professional league stage began in Mashhad on 28 August 2008, with 23 teams representing seven provinces.[11]


At the 2010 World Cup Asia in Kuala Lumpur, Datis won the Division 1 championship, defeating international opposition including teams from France, Australia and Malaysia.
IRNA reported the opening of the fourth stage in Kish on 3 March 2009. Twenty teams participated at Stadium No. 2 of the Kish Olympic Sports Complex, with competition announced for 3–4 March. The report distinguished this domestic stage from the international Golden Palm tournament scheduled to follow it.[10]


Another Iranian team, '''Joubin''', finished second in Division 3 at the same tournament.[4]
The opening event of the [[2009 INPL season]] took place from 13 to 15 May 2009, as recorded in two surviving video descriptions.[12][13]


Datis successfully defended its World Cup Asia Division 1 title in 2011 at Langkawi, Malaysia.
An account reproduced on pbhub in June 2010 reported Datis as the 2009 professional division's overall champion, followed by Persian Legend and Datis 2. It stated that Datis won every tournament that season.[14]


Led by Babak Datis Esmaily, the team defeated South Africa's Reaper 4–1 in the final. The victory earned Datis the championship trophy and US$50,000 in prize money.[9]
=== Competition in the 2010s ===


Iranian success extended to the lower divisions. '''Diako''' won the Division 3 championship at the 2011 World Cup Asia.[10]
Domestic league records document men's divisions and separate women's competition during Iranian year 1390. At the combined Babolsar event in December 2011, Datis won the men's first division and women's competition, while Diako won the men's second division.[15]


Datis also represented Iran in the 2011 Intercontinental Cup, held alongside World Cup Asia, finishing third behind France's TonTon and the American Ironmen.[10]
The 1390 season concluded in February 2012. Planet Eclipse reported overall titles for Datis and Datis Girls, alongside Diako's Division 2 victory and promotion.[6]


Iranian teams continued participating in PALS events in subsequent years, including tournaments in Malaysia and Thailand.[11]
In August 2012, the association announced that it could not stage the league under its existing financial arrangements, citing previous losses, operating costs and exchange-rate increases.[16]


=== Domestic competition and PALM (2010s–2020s) ===
An association report preserved in November 2014 recorded seven premier league rounds involving eight teams. Datis finished first, Ariaman second and Griffin third.[17]


Iranian tournament competition developed through multiple leagues and event organisations.
PALM also operated domestic competition. In October 2017, Planet Eclipse reported Tehran Datis winning Division 1 at the series' penultimate leg and Shemiranat Datis finishing second in Division 2. The report described their positions before the final leg rather than confirming completed season titles.[7]


The [[Paintball League Middle East]] (PALM) operated tournaments in Iran during the 2010s. The competition was separate from the Paintball Asia League Series, despite the similarity in their acronyms.
=== Competition in the 2020s ===


PALM maintained an Iranian event programme, including competitions during 2016, 2017 and 2018.[12]
National competition continued with men's and women's divisions.


In October 2017, [[Planet Eclipse]] reported that Tehran Datis had won a Division 1 PALM tournament, while Shemiranat Datis finished second in Division 2.[13]
The federation's report on the second national league round in Mashhad in October 2025 recorded twenty teams across three team divisions: fifteen men's teams and five women's teams.[18]


The national tournament scene continued into the 2020s.
Datis Tehran won the men's premier and women's competitions. Maxfit Bandar Abbas won the men's second division, while Milad Rashidi won the men's individual competition.[18]


Iranian league records for 2025 documented men's premier, men's second-division and women's competitions. Participating organisations included Datis Tehran, Phoenix, Espad, Persian Gulf and Singo, alongside other teams.[14]
Detailed event histories and season records are covered in [[Iran National Paintball League]].


== Organisation ==
== Organisation ==


The '''Iran Paintball Association''' (انجمن پینت بال جمهوری اسلامی ایران) operates within Iran's domestic sports structure.
The [[Iran Paintball Association]] has published domestic competition announcements, results, participation conditions and financial notices.[15][16]


The association identifies 2002 as its founding year and describes responsibilities covering paintball clubs, competitions and training for referees, players and operators.[2]
Competition formats and divisional structures have changed over time. Records distinguish professional and amateur national championship sections in 2007, multiple men's league divisions and separate women's competition in 2011, and men's premier, men's second-division and women's competitions in 2025.[4][15][18]


Its activities have included organising national tournaments, developing regulations and providing coaching and refereeing education.
[[Paintball League Middle East]] and the [[Paintball Asia League Series]] are separate competitions despite their similar abbreviations.
 
Iranian paintball competitions have operated under several names and organisational structures, including the Iran National Paintball League and PALM.
 
The [[Iran National Paintball League]] has featured multiple competitive divisions, with tournaments held in different Iranian cities.
 
The association's website has also published material relating to paintball safety, equipment regulation, field operations and coaching qualifications.[15]


== Women's paintball ==
== Women's paintball ==


Women have participated in Iranian paintball since at least the mid-2000s.
Women's participation is documented by a photographic feature published by ''Iranian.com'' in October 2005.[19]


A photographic report published by ''Iranian.com'' in October 2005 documented an Iranian women's paintball team.[6]
The association's recovered December 2011 results record a women's league competition in Babolsar. Datis finished first, Javidan second and Roham Babolsar third.[15]


By 2012, women's tournament paintball was firmly established within the country's national league structure.
Planet Eclipse subsequently reported that Datis Girls won the women's cup and overall championship for Iranian year 1390 at the February 2012 finals.[6]


In February 2012, the Iranian National Paintball League held an event featuring 26 teams across three divisions, including a dedicated women's competition.
The opening women's league round of 1391 took place in Tehran on 17 May 2012. Seven teams represented five provinces. Datis Alborz finished first, Javidan Tehran second and Titan Qazvin third.[20]


[[Datis Girls]], the women's team associated with the Datis organisation, won the women's championship for the Iranian calendar year 1390.[16]
Women's competition remained part of the national programme in 2025, with five teams reported at the October round in Mashhad.[18]


=== International participation ===
For the detailed history, see [[Women's paintball in Iran]].


Datis Girls also competed internationally, entering the [[World Cup Asia]] in Langkawi, Malaysia.
== International competition ==


The team participated in Division 3 in 2012, finishing 44th among 46 competitors.
Iranian teams have participated in the [[Paintball Asia League Series]], [[World Cup Asia]] and other international tournaments.


Datis Girls returned to World Cup Asia in 2013, improving to 25th among 54 teams.[17]
Contemporary reporting on World Cup Asia 2010 recorded Datis winning Division 1 and [[Joubin (Iran Paintball Team)|Joubin]] finishing second in Division 3.[21]


These appearances placed Iranian female players in international open-division competition alongside teams from Asia and other regions.
At World Cup Asia 2011, Datis again won Division 1. The published results also recorded [[Diako (Iran Paintball Team)|Diako]] winning Division 3 and Datis finishing third in the accompanying Intercontinental Cup.[22]


Women's paintball has remained part of Iran's national competition structure.
Datis Girls subsequently appeared in World Cup Asia's open Division 3. Published team records list the team 44th of 46 in 2012 and 25th of 54 in 2013.[23]
 
Records from the 2025 national league included a women's premier division featuring Datis, Singo, Espad and Arya.[14]
 
== International tournament results ==
 
Selected documented results by Iranian teams include:
 
{| class="wikitable"
! Year
! Team
! Tournament
! Result
|-
| 2006
| [[Datis]]
| [[World Cup Asia]]
| Division 1 champion
|-
| 2006
| [[Datis]]
| [[Paintball Asia League Series]]
| Overall season champion
|-
| 2007
| [[Datis]]
| [[Paintball Asia League Series]]
| Overall season champion
|-
| 2007
| [[Datis]]
| [[World Cup Asia]]
| Division 1 runner-up
|-
| 2010
| [[Datis]]
| [[World Cup Asia]]
| Division 1 champion
|-
| 2010
| Joubin
| [[World Cup Asia]]
| Division 3 runner-up
|-
| 2011
| [[Datis]]
| [[World Cup Asia]]
| Division 1 champion
|-
| 2011
| Diako
| [[World Cup Asia]]
| Division 3 champion
|-
| 2011
| [[Datis]]
| Intercontinental Cup
| 3rd
|-
| 2012
| [[Datis Girls]]
| [[World Cup Asia]]
| Division 3, 44th of 46
|-
| 2013
| [[Datis Girls]]
| [[World Cup Asia]]
| Division 3, 25th of 54
|}
 
Results are drawn from contemporary tournament reports and published competition records.[3][4][7][9][10][17]
 
== Notable teams ==
 
Iranian teams documented in national and international competition include:
 
* [[Datis]] – Multiple World Cup Asia and PALS champions.
* [[Datis Girls]] – Iranian women's champions and international PALS competitors.
* '''Diako''' – World Cup Asia Division 3 champion in 2011.
* '''Joubin''' – World Cup Asia Division 3 runner-up in 2010.
* '''Persian Legend''' – Domestic Division 1 competitor during the late 2000s and early 2010s.
* '''Griffin''' – Iranian team competing internationally in the PALS series.
* '''Phoenix''' – Participant in the Iranian national championship.
* '''Espad''' – Participant in the Iranian national championship.


== See also ==
== See also ==


* [[Datis]]
* [[Paintball in Iran]]
* [[Datis Girls]]
* [[Iran Paintball Association]]
* [[World Cup Asia]]
* [[Iran National Paintball League]]
* [[Paintball Asia League Series]]
* [[Women's paintball in Iran]]
* [[Paintball League Middle East]]
* [[Paintball League Middle East]]
* [[Iran National Paintball League]]
* [[Paintball for All (PFA)]]
* [[Women's paintball]]
* [[IWPL]]
* [[Asian paintball]]
* [[Wipe Paintball Magazine]]
* [[Overshoot Paintball Magazine]]
* [[Datis (Iran Paintball Team)|Datis]]
* [[Datis Girls (Iran Paintball Team)|Datis Girls]]
* [[Persian Legend (Iran Paintball Team)|Persian Legend]]
* [[Griffin (Iran Paintball Team)|Griffin]]


== References ==
== References ==


# [https://www.lorientlejour.com/article/389456/SOCIETE___Les_Iraniens_se_mettent_au_paintball.html L'Orient-Le Jour / Agence France-Presse, "Les Iraniens se mettent au paintball", 25 October 2002.]
# [https://www.lorientlejour.com/article/389456/SOCIETE___Les_Iraniens_se_mettent_au_paintball.html L'Orient-Le Jour / Agence France-Presse, ''Les Iraniens se mettent au paintball'', 25 October 2002. French.]
# [https://www.linkedin.com/company/iran-paintball-association Iran Paintball Association, official organisational profile.]
# [https://www.csmonitor.com/2002/1120/p12s01-wome.html The Christian Science Monitor, Scott Peterson, ''Iran battles boredom with paint guns'', 20 November 2002.]
# [https://singaporepaintball.blogspot.com/2008/11/top-asia-paintball-teams.html Paintball in Singapore 101, "Top Asia Paintball Teams!", 8 November 2008.]
# [https://www.irna.ir/news/4951969/داتیس-قهرمان-مسابقات-پینت-بال-کشور-شد IRNA, ''Datis wins the national paintball competition'', 6 May 2006. Persian.]
# [https://villainpaintball.blogspot.com/2010/ Villain Paintball, "World Cup Asia 2010 – Results", 29 November 2010.]
# [https://www.mehrnews.com/news/529686/دومین-دوره-مسابقات-قهرمانی-کشور-پینت-بال-به-پایان-رسید Mehr News Agency, ''Second national paintball championship concludes'', 5 August 2007. Persian.]
# [https://www.csmonitor.com/2002/1120/p12s01-wome.html The Christian Science Monitor, Scott Peterson, "Iran Battles Boredom with Paint Guns", 20 November 2002.]
# [https://www.magiran.com/article/1629026 Resalat, ''Tehran wins the Persian Gulf paintball cup'', 26 May 2008, issue 6439, p. 23, preserved by Magiran. Persian.]
# [https://iranian.com/PhotoDay/2005/October/paint1.html Iranian.com, "Women's Paintball Team in Iran", photographs by Hamid Nikpour, October 2005.]
# [https://eclipsehq.blogspot.com/2012/02/datis-make-it-clean-sweep.html Planet Eclipse, ''Datis make it a clean sweep!'', 27 February 2012.]
# [https://johnny-ong.blogspot.com/2006/12/paintball-world-cup-asia-2006.html Life's Happenings, "Paintball – World Cup Asia 2006", 19 December 2006.]
# [https://eclipsehq.blogspot.com/2017/10/datis-1st-and-2nd-palm-series-iran.html Planet Eclipse, ''Datis 1st and 2nd: Palm Series, Iran'', 8 October 2017.]
# [https://jrdominguez32paintball.blogspot.com/2010/03/propaintballcom-player-of-week-aco-amir.html ProPaintball.com interview reproduced by JR Dominguez 32 Paintball, "Player of the Week: Aco Amir", 9 March 2010.]
# [https://www.warpig.com/forums/fields/index/pg_Asia.shtml WARPIG Field Finder, Asia. Mashhad Paintball entry dated 18 November 2004; Tochal Paintball entry dated 7 August 2005.]
# [https://villainpaintball.blogspot.com/2011/11/datis-wins-wca-2011.html Villain Paintball, "Datis Wins WCA 2011!", reproducing Bernama reporting, 14 November 2011.]
# [https://t.me/iranpaintballassociation/28 Iran Paintball Association Telegram channel, retrospective caption identifying a nationwide competition in Mashhad in Iranian year 1383. Persian.]
# [https://jahangpaintball.blogspot.com/2011/ Jahang River Paintball, "Paintball World Cup Asia 2011", tournament results, 17 November 2011.]
# [https://www.irna.ir/news/7515922/چهارمین-دوره-مسابقات-لیگ-پینت-بال-کشور-در-کیش-آغاز-شد IRNA, ''Fourth national paintball league event begins in Kish'', 3 March 2009. Persian.]
# [https://www.socialpaintball.com/2012/09/06/the-2012-pals-world-cup-asia-and-intercontinental-cup-are-coming/ Social Paintball, "The 2012 PALS World Cup Asia and Intercontinental Cup Are Coming", 6 September 2012.]
# [https://www.irna.ir/news/7446736/رقابتهای-لیگ-حرفه-ای-پینت-بال-کشور-در-مشهد-آغاز-شد IRNA, ''National professional paintball league competition begins in Mashhad'', 28 August 2008. Persian.]
# [https://palmseries.com/ PALM Series, official competition website and event archives.]
# [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FF4R0ppCLl0 YouTube, ''2009 Iran Paintball League – Video #1''. Description identifies the opening event and dates.]
# [https://eclipsehq.blogspot.com/2017/10/datis-1st-and-2nd-palm-series-iran.html Planet Eclipse, "Datis 1st and 2nd: Palm Series, Iran", 8 October 2017.]
# [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKnY4qm-vTY YouTube, ''2009 Iran Paintball League – Video #2''. Description identifies the opening event and dates.]
# [https://paintball-iran.com/ Paintball Iran, Iranian national league results and standings for 1404 (2025).]
# [https://pbhub.de/forum/viewtopic.php?t=48473 pbhub, ''Iran Paintball League Videos'', opening post, 18 June 2010. Reproduces an account of the 2009 season and overall podium.]
# [https://paintball.ir/ Paintball.ir, Iranian paintball association information, coaching courses and regulations.]
# [https://web.archive.org/web/20120119102016/http://www.paintball.ir:80/اخبار/tabid/102/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/25/----1390.aspx Iran Paintball Association, national league results for Azar 1390, archived 19 January 2012. Persian.]
# [https://eclipsehq.blogspot.com/2012/02/datis-make-it-clean-sweep.html Planet Eclipse, "Datis Make It a Clean Sweep!", 27 February 2012.]
# [https://web.archive.org/web/20120830063724/http://www.paintball.ir:80/اخبار/tabid/102/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/65/----INPL.aspx Iran Paintball Association, INPL cancellation and financial notice, 25 August 2012, archived 30 August 2012. Persian.]
# [https://pbleagues.com/team/1Jamp7bLWIzUQWIN PBLeagues, "Datis Girls", team profile and international tournament history.]
# [https://web.archive.org/web/20141115110859/http://www.paintball.ir:80/اخبار/tabid/102/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/194/-----INPL.aspx Iran Paintball Association, premier league and national-team report, archived 15 November 2014. Persian.]
# [https://isfaf.ir/News/1873/پایان-دومین-دوره-لیگ-پینتبال-در-مشهد-با-معرفی-برترین‌ها-داتیس-تهران-قهرمان-شد Iran Sport for All Federation, second national league round in Mashhad: participation and results, October 2025. Persian.]
# [https://iranian.com/PhotoDay/2005/October/paint1.html Iranian.com, ''Women's Paintball Team in Iran'', photographs by Hamid Nikpour, October 2005.]
# [https://web.archive.org/web/20120524051426/http://www.paintball.ir:80/اخبار/tabid/102/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/55/-----1391.aspx Iran Paintball Association, first women's league round of 1391, held 17 May 2012, archived 24 May 2012. Persian.]
# [https://villainpaintball.blogspot.com/2010/ Villain Paintball, ''World Cup Asia 2010 – Results'', 29 November 2010.]
# [https://jahangpaintball.blogspot.com/2011/ Jahang River Paintball, ''Paintball World Cup Asia 2011'', tournament results, 17 November 2011.]
# [https://pbleagues.com/team/1Jamp7bLWIzUQWIN PBLeagues, Datis Girls team profile and tournament history.]


== External links ==
== External links ==


* [https://paintball.ir/ Paintball.ir]
* [https://paintball.ir/ Iranian paintball information and association website]
* [https://paintball-iran.com/ Iranian national paintball results]
* [https://www.instagram.com/irannationalpaintballleague/ Iranian national league on Instagram]
* [https://palmseries.com/ Paintball League Middle East]
* [https://palmseries.com/ PALM Series website]
* [https://pbleagues.com/ PBLeagues tournament records]


[[Category:Paintball in Iran]]
[[Category:Paintball in Iran]]
[[Category:Paintball by country]]
[[Category:Iranian paintball history]]
[[Category:Asian paintball]]
[[Category:2000s in Iranian paintball]]
[[Category:Paintball history]]
[[Category:2010s in Iranian paintball]]
[[Category:2020s in Iranian paintball]]

Latest revision as of 11:23, 4 November 2026

Iranian paintball encompasses the recreational, competitive and organisational history of paintball in Iran. Contemporary reporting documents commercial play in Tehran in 2002, followed by national competitions, international team participation and organised women's competition.[1][2][3][4]

Iran's domestic tournament organisations have included the Iran National Paintball League (INPL) and Paintball League Middle East (PALM). Datis and Datis Girls are among the Iranian teams documented in domestic and international competition.[5][6][7]

History

[edit]

Early commercial paintball

[edit]

Contemporary reports published in October and November 2002 document the introduction of commercial paintball in Tehran by Hamid Nikpour, an Iranian entrepreneur who had lived in Canada.[1][2]

An Agence France-Presse report published on 25 October described a covered playing area of approximately 2,600 square metres and an announced opening that Sunday. Nikpour said that the imported markers had been examined and approved by the Ministry of Defence.[1]

In November, The Christian Science Monitor reported on play at the newly opened Matrix complex. Located in a converted covered parking facility, it contained sand, buildings, caves and a stream, with 120 markers available.[2]

These reports establish commercial activity in 2002; they do not identify a national championship held that year.[1][2]

Expansion beyond Tehran

[edit]

WARPIG's field directory contains an entry for Mashhad Paintball dated 18 November 2004. It identifies the location as the Ershad complex on Vakilabad Boulevard. A separate entry for Tochal Paintball in Tehran is dated 7 August 2005.[8]

These are directory entry dates rather than confirmed opening dates.

A retrospective post on the Iran Paintball Association's Telegram channel identifies a nationwide competition in Mashhad during Iranian year 1383. That year spans March 2004 to March 2005; the recovered caption does not establish an exact playing date or results.[9]

National competition in 2006 and 2007

[edit]

The 2006 Iran National Paintball Team Selection Tournament took place at Tochal Paintball Club in Tehran on 5 May 2006. Datis won, followed by Tigers and Javidan. IRNA reported that Datis would represent Iran at the forthcoming competition in Taiwan.[3]

The 2007 Iran National Paintball Championship was held in Tehran from 2 to 4 August 2007, with 21 teams across professional and amateur sections.[4]

Datis won the professional competition, followed by the Khorasan Razavi provincial team and Datis Omid. Farman Ara Tehran won the amateur section.[4]

The contemporary report described this as the second national championship. It did not identify the event as an INPL round.[4]

National league development

[edit]

The 2008 INPL season included events during Iranian year 1387, extending into March 2009.[5][10]

A Resalat report published on 26 May 2008 recorded eight teams at the opening Persian Gulf Cup event. Datis Tehran won, Pas Javan finished second and Giv Khorasan Razavi third.[5]

The second national professional league stage began in Mashhad on 28 August 2008, with 23 teams representing seven provinces.[11]

IRNA reported the opening of the fourth stage in Kish on 3 March 2009. Twenty teams participated at Stadium No. 2 of the Kish Olympic Sports Complex, with competition announced for 3–4 March. The report distinguished this domestic stage from the international Golden Palm tournament scheduled to follow it.[10]

The opening event of the 2009 INPL season took place from 13 to 15 May 2009, as recorded in two surviving video descriptions.[12][13]

An account reproduced on pbhub in June 2010 reported Datis as the 2009 professional division's overall champion, followed by Persian Legend and Datis 2. It stated that Datis won every tournament that season.[14]

Competition in the 2010s

[edit]

Domestic league records document men's divisions and separate women's competition during Iranian year 1390. At the combined Babolsar event in December 2011, Datis won the men's first division and women's competition, while Diako won the men's second division.[15]

The 1390 season concluded in February 2012. Planet Eclipse reported overall titles for Datis and Datis Girls, alongside Diako's Division 2 victory and promotion.[6]

In August 2012, the association announced that it could not stage the league under its existing financial arrangements, citing previous losses, operating costs and exchange-rate increases.[16]

An association report preserved in November 2014 recorded seven premier league rounds involving eight teams. Datis finished first, Ariaman second and Griffin third.[17]

PALM also operated domestic competition. In October 2017, Planet Eclipse reported Tehran Datis winning Division 1 at the series' penultimate leg and Shemiranat Datis finishing second in Division 2. The report described their positions before the final leg rather than confirming completed season titles.[7]

Competition in the 2020s

[edit]

National competition continued with men's and women's divisions.

The federation's report on the second national league round in Mashhad in October 2025 recorded twenty teams across three team divisions: fifteen men's teams and five women's teams.[18]

Datis Tehran won the men's premier and women's competitions. Maxfit Bandar Abbas won the men's second division, while Milad Rashidi won the men's individual competition.[18]

Detailed event histories and season records are covered in Iran National Paintball League.

Organisation

[edit]

The Iran Paintball Association has published domestic competition announcements, results, participation conditions and financial notices.[15][16]

Competition formats and divisional structures have changed over time. Records distinguish professional and amateur national championship sections in 2007, multiple men's league divisions and separate women's competition in 2011, and men's premier, men's second-division and women's competitions in 2025.[4][15][18]

Paintball League Middle East and the Paintball Asia League Series are separate competitions despite their similar abbreviations.

Women's paintball

[edit]

Women's participation is documented by a photographic feature published by Iranian.com in October 2005.[19]

The association's recovered December 2011 results record a women's league competition in Babolsar. Datis finished first, Javidan second and Roham Babolsar third.[15]

Planet Eclipse subsequently reported that Datis Girls won the women's cup and overall championship for Iranian year 1390 at the February 2012 finals.[6]

The opening women's league round of 1391 took place in Tehran on 17 May 2012. Seven teams represented five provinces. Datis Alborz finished first, Javidan Tehran second and Titan Qazvin third.[20]

Women's competition remained part of the national programme in 2025, with five teams reported at the October round in Mashhad.[18]

For the detailed history, see Women's paintball in Iran.

International competition

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Iranian teams have participated in the Paintball Asia League Series, World Cup Asia and other international tournaments.

Contemporary reporting on World Cup Asia 2010 recorded Datis winning Division 1 and Joubin finishing second in Division 3.[21]

At World Cup Asia 2011, Datis again won Division 1. The published results also recorded Diako winning Division 3 and Datis finishing third in the accompanying Intercontinental Cup.[22]

Datis Girls subsequently appeared in World Cup Asia's open Division 3. Published team records list the team 44th of 46 in 2012 and 25th of 54 in 2013.[23]

See also

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References

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  1. L'Orient-Le Jour / Agence France-Presse, Les Iraniens se mettent au paintball, 25 October 2002. French.
  2. The Christian Science Monitor, Scott Peterson, Iran battles boredom with paint guns, 20 November 2002.
  3. IRNA, Datis wins the national paintball competition, 6 May 2006. Persian.
  4. Mehr News Agency, Second national paintball championship concludes, 5 August 2007. Persian.
  5. Resalat, Tehran wins the Persian Gulf paintball cup, 26 May 2008, issue 6439, p. 23, preserved by Magiran. Persian.
  6. Planet Eclipse, Datis make it a clean sweep!, 27 February 2012.
  7. Planet Eclipse, Datis 1st and 2nd: Palm Series, Iran, 8 October 2017.
  8. WARPIG Field Finder, Asia. Mashhad Paintball entry dated 18 November 2004; Tochal Paintball entry dated 7 August 2005.
  9. Iran Paintball Association Telegram channel, retrospective caption identifying a nationwide competition in Mashhad in Iranian year 1383. Persian.
  10. IRNA, Fourth national paintball league event begins in Kish, 3 March 2009. Persian.
  11. IRNA, National professional paintball league competition begins in Mashhad, 28 August 2008. Persian.
  12. YouTube, 2009 Iran Paintball League – Video #1. Description identifies the opening event and dates.
  13. YouTube, 2009 Iran Paintball League – Video #2. Description identifies the opening event and dates.
  14. pbhub, Iran Paintball League Videos, opening post, 18 June 2010. Reproduces an account of the 2009 season and overall podium.
  15. Iran Paintball Association, national league results for Azar 1390, archived 19 January 2012. Persian.
  16. Iran Paintball Association, INPL cancellation and financial notice, 25 August 2012, archived 30 August 2012. Persian.
  17. Iran Paintball Association, premier league and national-team report, archived 15 November 2014. Persian.
  18. Iran Sport for All Federation, second national league round in Mashhad: participation and results, October 2025. Persian.
  19. Iranian.com, Women's Paintball Team in Iran, photographs by Hamid Nikpour, October 2005.
  20. Iran Paintball Association, first women's league round of 1391, held 17 May 2012, archived 24 May 2012. Persian.
  21. Villain Paintball, World Cup Asia 2010 – Results, 29 November 2010.
  22. Jahang River Paintball, Paintball World Cup Asia 2011, tournament results, 17 November 2011.
  23. PBLeagues, Datis Girls team profile and tournament history.
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