I'm not aware of anyone ever providing any evidence to support that idea, at least as it relates to actual encounters. Handling pressure from a game does not automatically equal handling pressure in reality.
Here we go again rehashing the same old stuff.
Ayoob, Cirillo, Jordan, Hatchcock and several other people have in fact stated that competition was one of the top reasons they attributed to their ability to operate cooly under pressure.
Pressure is pressure. It doesn't matter what the environment because the pressure comes from within, not without. Teach you mind to operate under pressure and it will. Competition is one of the best ways to achieve that. In the confrontations I have been in, I performed exactly the way I trained. That's because the actions I needed to perform were ingrained to the point that they did not require conscious thought.
For those who haven't figured it out, the most important aspect of competition and combat is the mental aspect. But, so many in the industry don't acknowledge that.
Competion builds the mechanics and mental skills to enhance survival. Not that FOF doesn't, but most people don't have the opportunity to take part in FOF on a regular basis. I suppose that if you practiced FOF as much as some compete, you would derive the same benefits. However, as has been mentioned, you run the risk of FOF becoming like paintball which diminshes the training value. IMO, most of what is practiced in IDPA is counter productive as well.
I know this will just stir the pot, but I will go so far as to say that in most cases tactics for civilians are unecessary, and the concept of cover etc. as defined by IDPA rules is unrealistic. In my experience and that of several of my friends who have been involved in shootings, the ability to hit the target quickly was the determining factor.
Given the choices, I would still say that IPSC would provide you with the best skills to ensure your survival in a confrontation as a civilian.
