On 23rd September 2006, the Iran Darts Association (IDA) held a special ceremony and darts tournament to celebrate the anniversary of the founding of the Association. More than 1,500 dart players affiliated to the IDA took part.
Amin Azizpour, General Secretary of the IDA, told me that the Association is also very much involved with research being carried out in the country’s universities into the benefits of darts as a sport ‘from the scientific and medical aspect.’ By this Amin means research focusing on the effect of darts on a person’s psyche and the ‘oneness of the spirit.’ Amin added, “We have begun research about this subject with assistance of professors and researchers of Iran’s science ministry.” The ultimate intention is to equip the offices of managers with darts equipment to be utilised as a method of relieving stress. The research and this provision will also help promote and develop the sport of darts in Iran.
Amin said, “Until I received an e-mail from Amin I was unaware that darts was played in Iran, let alone that a national darts association existed. I suppose I never really gave it any thought as darts has traditionally been associated with alcohol and I simply don’t associate alcohol with Iran. Now it seems that the Iranians are ahead of this country in researching the actual benefits to be derived from darts in a ‘stressed manager’ context.
I am very pleased that Amin and his colleagues believe that darts is a sport that can have effects on the person’s psyche, to relieve stress. I also believe that the sport of darts can be related to the ‘oneness of the spirit.’ Darts demands absolute concentration and the success in darts is entirely due to the skill of the player and their ability to remove from their minds all negative thoughts and stress and external noise and interruptions. Only that way – and hours of practice of course – can real success be achieved.
Darts is a sport that has its origins in the English public house and therefore it is alcohol that has been the subject of much on-going university and scientific research in the UK and not the sport of darts. Let’s hope the time is not too far away when our own universities and other research and sport science establishments turn their attention to the stress-busting qualities and other social benefits of the most popular sport on the planet.”
The darts world looks forward to hearing of the outcomes of the IDA’s research.
Dr Patrick Chaplin 