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Extend the national history with verified Instagram findings covering 2024 league results, 2025 competition and recruitment announcements, academy development and women's player profiles through 2026. Distinguish team announcements from published standings and posting dates from event dates. Update Datis and Datis Girls links to the agreed team naming convention and retain the Iranian history, country and decade categories.
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''' encompasses the development, organisation and competitive history of [[paintball]] in Iran. Commercial paintball was documented in Tehran in 2002, followed by domestic leagues, international tournament participation and dedicated women's competitions.[1][2][3]
'''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 competition has included the [[Iran National Paintball League]] (INPL), [[Paintball League Middle East]] (PALM), Paintball for All (PFA) and women's events identified as IWPL. These names describe different competition programmes and should not be treated as interchangeable.[3][4][5]
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]
 
For the national directory and subject, provincial and historical categories, see [[Paintball in Iran]].


== History ==
== History ==


=== Early development ===
=== Early commercial paintball ===


In November 2002, ''The Christian Science Monitor'' reported on the newly opened Matrix paintball complex in Tehran. Its founder, Hamid Nikpour, had brought equipment from Canada and obtained permission from Iranian authorities to operate the sport. The venue occupied a covered former car park and used artificial terrain and obstacles.[1]
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]


Women's participation was documented by October 2005, when ''The Iranian'' published photographs credited to Nikpour showing a women's paintball team in Iran.[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]


A BBC Persian interview published on 4 February 2007 featured Babak Esmaeili and Behnaz Foroutan, identified respectively as men's and women's team captains. It discussed Datis's Asian tournament success and explicitly described women's competitions in Iran.[6]
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]


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


Archived Iran Paintball Association records document separate men's divisions and a women's competition within the national league programme by 2011.[3]
=== Expansion beyond Tehran ===


At the Babolsar event held from 14 to 16 December 2011, the association reported the second men's round alongside the first women's round. Datis won the men's first division ahead of Hype and Persian Legend Two. Diako led the second division, followed by Soheil and Tornado. Datis, Javidan and Roham Babolsar took the women's podium.[3]
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]


The association's women's entry conditions required registration under INPL Division 2 rules. This specified the rules used for the women's competition rather than placing its teams within the men's second-division standings.[7]
These are directory entry dates rather than confirmed opening dates.


In August 2012, the association announced that it could not stage the national league under its existing financial arrangements. Its notice cited losses, operating costs and exchange-rate increases, and published projected income and expenditure.[8]
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]


A September 2013 announcement proposed restarting INPL using an iBall format and weekly matches. It also described selecting national-team players through the league.[9]
=== National competition in 2006 and 2007 ===


An association report preserved in November 2014 described a premier competition involving eight teams over seven rounds. It named Datis as champion, followed by Ariaman and Griffin, and described selecting players for the national squad through league competition.[10]
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]


=== PALM competition ===
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]


PALM provided another route for Iranian tournament competition. In March 2009, Mehr reported that the American Ironmen had won the Golden Palm tournament at Kish Olympic Stadium, with Datis finishing second. The report recorded nine foreign and twenty Iranian teams.[11]
Datis won the professional competition, followed by the Khorasan Razavi provincial team and Datis Omid. Farman Ara Tehran won the amateur section.[4]


Later domestic competition operated under the PALM name. A Planet Eclipse report published on 8 October 2017 recorded Tehran Datis winning Division 1 at the penultimate PALM event, while Shemiranat Datis finished second in Division 2. These were event results reported before the season's final round.[4]
The contemporary report described this as the second national championship. It did not identify the event as an INPL round.[4]


PALM and the [[Paintball Asia League Series]] (PALS) are distinct competitions.
=== National league development ===


=== National competition in the 2020s ===
The [[2008 INPL season]] included events during Iranian year 1387, extending into March 2009.[5][10]


The third national league round of 1403 took place in Mashhad from 3 to 6 Mehr 1403 (24–27 September 2024), hosted by Spad. The organiser reported sixteen men's teams and five women's teams.[12]
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]


Datis Tehran won the men's premier division, followed by Spad Mashhad and Amertat Mashhad. Datis veterans won the second division, while the women's Datis team won the professional electronic competition ahead of Persian Gulf Tehran and Spad Mashhad.[12]
The second national professional league stage began in Mashhad on 28 August 2008, with 23 teams representing seven provinces.[11]


An August 2025 Datis recruitment announcement sought players for its Tehran, Shemiranat and women's squads. It scheduled an online theory assessment followed by practical trials at the Sang Ahan Bafq paintball academy in Yazd Province.[13]
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]


A Persia Paintball post published on 4 November 2025 identified Datis Tehran as the winner of the second national league round of 1404 in Mashhad.[14]
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]


Team publications continued to document training and player development during 2026. Datis described Taha Hosseini as an academy-developed player gaining experience alongside its first team and identified Parvaz club as a training venue.[15][16]
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]


== Organisation ==
=== Competition in the 2010s ===
 
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 '''Iran Paintball Association''' (انجمن پینت بال جمهوری اسلامی ایران) has administered national competition, published rules and entry requirements, and organised women's participation. Its archived reports identify it within the Iran Sport for All Federation's structure.[3][7][8]
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]


Competition formats and divisions have varied. Alongside INPL and PALM events, PFA records document team and individual competitions using mechanical and electronic markers.[5][17]
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]


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


Women's participation was documented in 2005, and BBC Persian explicitly discussed women's competitions in 2007.[2][6]
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 association's first documented women's national league round took place in Babolsar from 14 to 16 December 2011. Datis finished first, Javidan second and Roham Babolsar third.[3]
=== Competition in the 2020s ===


On 17 May 2012, the opening women's round of the Iranian calendar year 1391 took place in Tehran. Seven teams represented five provinces. Datis Alborz won, followed by Javidan Tehran and Titan Qazvin.[18]
National competition continued with men's and women's divisions.


In 2014, the association introduced a three-player women's programme. Its opening event took place in Karaj on 18 April with six teams. Ariaman One finished first, Datis second and Ariaman Two third.[19][20]
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]


Women's participation also extended beyond the national league. Ferdowsi University of Mashhad's sports channel published women's podium groups from its public-sport festival in December 2017.[21]
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]


=== IWPL and PFA ===
Detailed event histories and season records are covered in [[Iran National Paintball League]].


In December 2018, ''Hamshahri'' reported on the second event of the national women's league under the initials '''IWPL''', alongside a separate PFA competition. In the electronic three-player competition, Datis finished first, Griffin second, Ariaman third and Kartal fourth.[5]
== Organisation ==


PFA also operated women's mechanical-marker competition. Its overall results for the Iranian year 1397, covering five rounds, placed Shahab One first, Shahab Three second and Shahab Two third in the three-player competition. Raheleh Hajian won the individual mechanical standings, followed by Mahdieh Darkhah and Mahsa Moradi.[17]
The [[Iran Paintball Association]] has published domestic competition announcements, results, participation conditions and financial notices.[15][16]


These season standings differed from the final-round results: Shahab Golestan won the final team event on 25 January 2019, followed by Shahid Nikpasand vocational school and Shahab One.[17]
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]


National women's PFA results continued into early 2020. At the fourth round on 6 February 2020 at Takhti Stadium, Tehran, Shahab won the mechanical three-player competition. Datis Tehran won the electronic three-player competition, followed by Datis Shemiranat and Number One.[22][23]
[[Paintball League Middle East]] and the [[Paintball Asia League Series]] are separate competitions despite their similar abbreviations.


=== Later competition ===
== Women's paintball ==


On 27 December 2023, Bandar Abbas hosted the fourth round of the women's electronic three-player league, with six teams participating. IRIB reported Singo Elite as league champion with 377 points, followed by Belona of Rasht with 315 and Singo Persian Gulf with 215.[24]
Women's participation is documented by a photographic feature published by ''Iranian.com'' in October 2005.[19]


Datis Tehran won the women's professional electronic competition at the third national league round in Mashhad in September 2024.[12]
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]


In a retrospective post published in September 2025, the Datis organisation described its women's squad as "Overall champions 2024". The caption identifies the achievement with 2024 but does not provide a complete season table or points total.[25]
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]


An October 2025 post announced another national competition victory under the name '''Datis Ladies'''. A subsequent announcement named Asal Arab-Baraghi, number 86, as the most valuable player of the second round of national competition.[26][27]
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]


The organisation continued publishing women's player profiles during 2026, including Zahra Afzali and Sarvenaz Komasi.[28][29]
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]].
For the detailed history, see [[Women's paintball in Iran]].
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== International competition ==
== International competition ==


[[Datis (Iran Paintball Team)|Datis]] became a prominent Iranian representative in Asian tournament paintball. Contemporary reporting records its World Cup Asia Division 1 and overall PALS championship success in 2006, followed by another overall PALS title in 2007.[30][31]
Iranian teams have participated in the [[Paintball Asia League Series]], [[World Cup Asia]] and other international tournaments.


At World Cup Asia in 2010, Datis won Division 1 and another Iranian team, Joubin, finished second in Division 3.[32]
Contemporary reporting on World Cup Asia 2010 recorded Datis winning Division 1 and [[Joubin (Iran Paintball Team)|Joubin]] finishing second in Division 3.[21]


Datis retained the World Cup Asia Division 1 title in 2011, defeating South Africa's Reaper 4–1 in the final. Diako won Division 3, while Datis finished third in the accompanying Intercontinental Cup.[33][34]
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]


[[Datis Girls (Iran Paintball Team)|Datis Girls]] also competed internationally. PBLeagues records place the team 44th of 46 in World Cup Asia Division 3 in 2012 and 25th of 54 in 2013.[35]
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]
 
== Publications and online communities ==
 
Iranian paintball developed its own publications and online sources. '''Wipe Paintball Magazine''' has surviving Joomag listings for issues bearing 2012 dates and an issue numbered 15 listed in January 2015. The publicly accessible sample of issue 15 contains Persian and English material.[36]
 
The historical Datis website published player profiles, competition news and links to online communities, including a Datis Yahoo group.[37][38]
 
Persian-language club blogs also recorded activity and reproduced competition announcements. These included Free4Paintball and Team Antimatter, whose archive preserves the 2013 INPL restart announcement.[9][39]
 
Public Instagram accounts provide another source of competition records. The national league account has published results distinguishing men's and women's divisions, while the Datis organisation has published recruitment notices, player profiles and team announcements.[12][13][28][29]


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


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


== References ==
== References ==


# [https://www.csmonitor.com/2002/1120/p12s01-wome.html Scott Peterson, "Iran battles boredom with paint guns", The Christian Science Monitor, 20 November 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://iranian.com/PhotoDay/2005/October/paint1.html The Iranian, "Women's paintball team in Iran", photographs by Hamid Nikpour, 5 October 2005.]
# [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.irna.ir/news/4951969/داتیس-قهرمان-مسابقات-پینت-بال-کشور-شد IRNA, ''Datis wins the national paintball competition'', 6 May 2006. Persian.]
# [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.magiran.com/article/1629026 Resalat, ''Tehran wins the Persian Gulf paintball cup'', 26 May 2008, issue 6439, p. 23, preserved by Magiran. 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://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.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://t.me/iranpaintballassociation/28 Iran Paintball Association Telegram channel, retrospective caption identifying a nationwide competition in Mashhad in Iranian year 1383. Persian.]
# [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.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://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FF4R0ppCLl0 YouTube, ''2009 Iran Paintball League – Video #1''. Description identifies the opening event and dates.]
# [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKnY4qm-vTY YouTube, ''2009 Iran Paintball League – Video #2''. Description identifies the opening event and dates.]
# [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://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://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/2017/10/datis-1st-and-2nd-palm-series-iran.html Planet Eclipse, "Datis 1st and 2nd: Palm Series, Iran", 8 October 2017.]
# [https://www.hamshahrionline.ir/news/425561/نتایج-دو-لیگ-حرفه-ای-کشوری Hamshahri, "Results of two national professional leagues", 16 December 2018. Persian.]
# [https://www.bbc.com/persian/seventhday/story/2007/02/printable/070204_bs_paintball BBC Persian, "Paintball", interviews with Babak Esmaeili and Behnaz Foroutan, 4 February 2007. Persian.]
# [https://web.archive.org/web/20120205034603/http://www.paintball.ir:80/اخبار/tabid/102/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/18/--.aspx Iran Paintball Association, women's league participation conditions, 9 Azar 1390, archived 5 February 2012. Persian.]
# [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://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://teamantimatter.blogfa.com/post/74 Team Antimatter, reproduction of the Iran Paintball Association's INPL restart announcement, September 2013. Persian.]
# [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://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://en.mehrnews.com/news/32730/U-S-wins-Golden-Palm-Paintball-Tournament Mehr News Agency, "U.S. wins Golden Palm Paintball Tournament", 7 March 2009.]
# [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://www.instagram.com/p/DAfUvRFoJCc/ Iranian National Paintball League, third-round results for 1403, 28 September 2024. Persian.]
# [https://iranian.com/PhotoDay/2005/October/paint1.html Iranian.com, ''Women's Paintball Team in Iran'', photographs by Hamid Nikpour, October 2005.]
# [https://www.instagram.com/p/DM8ZkoLop9g/ Datis Paintball Team, recruitment notice for Tehran, Shemiranat and women's squads, 4 August 2025. Persian.]
# [https://www.instagram.com/p/DQo9mfaDBj_/ Persia Paintball, Datis Tehran wins the second national league round of 1404, published 4 November 2025. Persian.]
# [https://www.instagram.com/datispaintballteam/reel/Dd1buFUIkRE/ Datis Paintball Team, Taha Hosseini player profile, September 2026. Persian.]
# [https://www.instagram.com/datispaintballteam/reel/DfL-GSwIxJP/ Datis Paintball Team, training at Parvaz club, October 2026. Persian.]
# [https://t.me/s/pfaleague?before=240 PFA Paintball League, women's final-round results and overall standings for 1397, event held 25 January 2019. Persian.]
# [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://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://web.archive.org/web/20140407051005/http://www.paintball.ir:80/اخبار/tabid/102/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/134/-1393-----.aspx Iran Paintball Association, women's competition programme for 1393, archived 7 April 2014. Persian.]
# [https://villainpaintball.blogspot.com/2010/ Villain Paintball, ''World Cup Asia 2010 – Results'', 29 November 2010.]
# [https://web.archive.org/web/20140423030206/http://www.paintball.ir:80/اخبار/tabid/102/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/142/----29-1393.aspx Iran Paintball Association, opening women's professional competition results, 18 April 2014, archived 23 April 2014. Persian.]
# [https://jahangpaintball.blogspot.com/2011/ Jahang River Paintball, ''Paintball World Cup Asia 2011'', tournament results, 17 November 2011.]
# [https://t.me/ferdowsi_sport/574 Ferdowsi University of Mashhad sports channel, women's paintball podium groups, 28 December 2017. Persian.]
# [https://t.me/pfaleague/456 PFA Paintball League, women's national round-four mechanical results, event held 6 February 2020, published 18 February 2020. Persian.]
# [https://t.me/pfaleague/471 PFA Paintball League, women's national round-four electronic results, event held 6 February 2020, published 18 February 2020. Persian.]
# [https://www.irib-news.ir/fa/news/4103623/قهرمانی-نماینده-هرمزگان-در-لیگ-پینت-بال-بانوان-کشور IRIB News Agency, "Hormozgan representative wins the national women's paintball league", 27 December 2023. Persian.]
# [https://www.instagram.com/reel/DO897O4iART/ Datis Paintball Team, "Overall champions 2024", published 23 September 2025. Persian and English.]
# [https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQHp-wFCIXz/ Datis Paintball Team, Datis Ladies national competition victory announcement, 22 October 2025. Persian.]
# [https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQKUBsKiMM0/ Datis Paintball Team, Asal Arab-Baraghi, second-round national competition MVP, 23 October 2025. Persian.]
# [https://www.instagram.com/datispaintballteam/reel/Dd3Qf-QoqO9/ Datis Paintball Team, Zahra Afzali player profile, September 2026. Persian and English.]
# [https://www.instagram.com/datispaintballteam/reel/DeLxl_EoBZy/ Datis Paintball Team, Sarvenaz Komasi player profile, October 2026. Persian and English.]
# [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://singaporepaintball.blogspot.com/2008/11/top-asia-paintball-teams.html Paintball in Singapore 101, "Top Asia Paintball Teams!", 8 November 2008.]
# [https://3nitypaintball.wordpress.com/2010/12/01/world-cup-asia-2010-results/ Team 3nity Paintball, "World Cup Asia 2010 Results", 1 December 2010.]
# [https://villainpaintball.blogspot.com/2011/11/datis-wins-wca-2011.html Villain Paintball, "Datis wins WCA 2011!", reproducing Bernama reporting, 14 November 2011.]
# [https://jahangpaintball.blogspot.com/2011/ Jahang River Paintball, World Cup Asia and Intercontinental Cup results, November 2011.]
# [https://pbleagues.com/team/1Jamp7bLWIzUQWIN PBLeagues, Datis Girls team profile and tournament history.]
# [https://pbleagues.com/team/1Jamp7bLWIzUQWIN PBLeagues, Datis Girls team profile and tournament history.]
# [https://newsstand.joomag.com/en/wipe-paintball-magazine/M0715684001357870178 Joomag, Wipe Paintball Magazine collection and issue listings, including the public issue 15 sample.]
# [https://web.archive.org/web/20070430181236/http://www.datispaintball.com:80/pages/profile.asp Datis Paintball, player profiles, archived 30 April 2007.]
# [https://web.archive.org/web/20070428150536/http://www.datispaintball.com:80/pages/linkslist.asp Datis Paintball, links page, archived 28 April 2007.]
# [https://free4paintball.blogfa.com/1385/03 Free4Paintball, June 2006 archive. Persian.]


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


* [https://paintball.ir/ Paintball.ir]
* [https://paintball.ir/ Iranian paintball information and association website]
* [https://isfaf.ir/ Iran Sport for All Federation]
* [https://palmseries.com/ PALM Series]
* [https://t.me/s/pfaleague PFA Paintball League public archive]
* [https://www.instagram.com/irannationalpaintballleague/ Iranian national league on Instagram]
* [https://www.instagram.com/irannationalpaintballleague/ Iranian national league on Instagram]
* [https://palmseries.com/ PALM Series website]


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

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Early commercial paintball

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

[edit]

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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