Lord Kalo
10-24-2002, 05:21 PM
Paintball comes to Iran, with "biggest field in the world"
October 23, 2002, 06:42 PM
TEHRAN (AFP) - The war game of paintball has come to Iran, allowing the Islamic republic's young men, but not women for the time being, to let off steam in a country where leisures are few.
"Our paintball field is 2,600 square metres (28,000 square feet), which is the biggest in the world," Hamid Nikpour, operator of the leisure centre in the middle of Tehran, told AFP ahead of Sunday's opening.
Nikpour said that in a period of international tension focussing on Iran's neighbour Iraq he had problems importing the imitation guns and other equipment used from Canada.
"But we obtained the approval of the defence ministry, which checked the weapons. They are in aluminium and can't be converted into real guns," he said.
"There is no restriction on women, but we preferred to restrict it to men to begin with," he added.
Even if the facility is opened to women later, the law bars mixed sessions.
But a national federation has already been formed and dozens of people have signed up for the opening combats, with the prospect of taking part eventually in international contests.
In a country where 70 percent of the population is aged under 30, "paintball is perfect for expending energy," Nikpour said.
However, players will need cash as well as energy -- fees range from between eight and 12 dollars each, a lot for the average Iranian.
October 23, 2002, 06:42 PM
TEHRAN (AFP) - The war game of paintball has come to Iran, allowing the Islamic republic's young men, but not women for the time being, to let off steam in a country where leisures are few.
"Our paintball field is 2,600 square metres (28,000 square feet), which is the biggest in the world," Hamid Nikpour, operator of the leisure centre in the middle of Tehran, told AFP ahead of Sunday's opening.
Nikpour said that in a period of international tension focussing on Iran's neighbour Iraq he had problems importing the imitation guns and other equipment used from Canada.
"But we obtained the approval of the defence ministry, which checked the weapons. They are in aluminium and can't be converted into real guns," he said.
"There is no restriction on women, but we preferred to restrict it to men to begin with," he added.
Even if the facility is opened to women later, the law bars mixed sessions.
But a national federation has already been formed and dozens of people have signed up for the opening combats, with the prospect of taking part eventually in international contests.
In a country where 70 percent of the population is aged under 30, "paintball is perfect for expending energy," Nikpour said.
However, players will need cash as well as energy -- fees range from between eight and 12 dollars each, a lot for the average Iranian.