Latest news with #Ultras
Malay Mail
3 days ago
- General
- Malay Mail
Harimau Malaya's draw against Cape Verde boosts team confidence ahead of Vietnam clash, says Hannah Yeoh
SEREMBAN, May 31 — Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh has described Harimau Malaya's 1-1 draw against Cape Verde in a Tier 1 international friendly on Thursday in Kuala Lumpur as a positive development for the national team. She said the result, achieved against a team ranked 72nd in the world, will help build the team's confidence ahead of their crucial 2027 Asian Cup qualifying match against Vietnam on June 10. 'I hope every match will provide new confidence for our players, especially as they prepare to face Vietnam,' she told reporters at the 14th National Junior Wushu Championship here last night. The event was graced by the Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan, Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir, and featured nearly 500 exponents from 17 teams nationwide. Malaysia will face Cape Verde again in a closed-door friendly at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil on Tuesday (June 3) as part of preparations for the qualifier. Hannah also urged fans to turn out in full force to support Harimau Malaya, stressing that the energy and chants from the Ultras can significantly lift the players' spirit. 'The cheers from fans really matter. The Ultras' songs and chants play a big role in motivating the team,' she said, citing the difference in atmosphere during a recent Manchester United-Asean All-Stars match without Ultras. She expressed hope the national squad can improve their ranking under the new head coach, with the support of government and corporate sponsorship. On the junior wushu championship, Hannah said her ministry has channelled RM165,000 through the Sports Matching Grant to support the five-day event. She said wushu has now been reclassified as a sport in schools to align with the ministry's long-term athlete development plan, especially in preparation for the 2026 Youth Olympic Games. — Bernama
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Inter Milan Ultras Group Curva Nord Hit Out At ‘Embarrassing' Handling Of Champions League Final Tickets – ‘We'll Protest At The Headquarters This Monday'
Inter Milan Ultras Group Curva Nord Hit Out At 'Embarrassing' Handling Of Champions League Final Tickets – 'We'll Protest At The Headquarters This Monday' The Curva Nord have hit out at the 'embarrassing' handling of tickets for the Champions League final between PSG and Inter Milan. The ultras group announced plans to protest at the Nerazzurri's headquarters, via FCInterNews. Advertisement Inter Milan face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final in Munich next Saturday. This will be a season-defining match for the Nerazzurri. Therefore, the demand for tickets has naturally been high for tickets to the match. Inter Milan have allocated the tickets for the match based on loyalty. Or at least that is ostensibly how the system is working. However, there have been criticisms of the system that has made tickets available. Curva Nord Hit Out At 'Embarrassing' PSG Vs Inter UCL Ticket Situation Getty Images Inter ultras group the Curva Nord argue that the real priority has been to make tickets available to sponsors, and to travel agencies. Advertisement The Nord contend that they have not managed to get their share of tickets, despite being among Inter's most hardcore supporters. Furthermore, the Nord note that they will not be able to display choreography at the final in Munich. They also disagree with this policy. Therefore, the Curva Nord will stage a fan protest. They have confirmed that they will show up at Inter's heardquarters at 18.00 CET on Monday.
Daily Mail
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE 'It's much easier to smuggle a bag of cocaine into a football match than it is to carry a glass bottle...' Fears drug use is helping fuel fan violence and disorder
Rising levels of cocaine abuse are helping fuel the recent violence and disorder witnessed throughout Scottish football, a Mail Sport investigation can reveal. Research has proven that cocaine has now moved ahead of alcohol as the chief safety concern for police and security officials at Scottish football matches. One source told Mail Sport that drug abuse is now 'endemic' among younger supporters, particularly the so-called 'Ultras' sub-culture. It comes on the back of the shameful scenes at the weekend when Aberdeen defender Jack MacKenzie was hit by a chair thrown by his own supporters in a match at Tannadice. That was the latest and most high-profile instance of fan disorder at matches throughout Scotland over recent weeks and months. It follows from pitch invasions and violence in games between Partick Thistle and Ayr United, as well as a glass bottle being thrown at Celtic keeper Viljami Sinisalo in an Old Firm match at Ibrox. Mail Sport can reveal that at least seven clubs in the Scottish Premiership this season have been made aware of concerns about drug misuse inside their stadiums and, more specifically, in toilet cubicles. There have even been some reports of fans claiming to have witnessed the drug being taken openly on the terraces rather than in toilets. Our investigation was also told of group chats on WhatsApp being used to organise drop-offs and deliveries of the drug outside stadiums. One source told Mail Sport: 'Cocaine is now endemic among a lot of younger fans. 'I would estimate somewhere between 50 to 75 per cent of these Ultras groups are coked-up at most matches. 'Violence in the 70s and 80s wasn't as organised as it is now. Social media has been a massive help for these Ultras groups. 'It's become fashionable again among young fans to be an ultra. Even Junior clubs have their own Ultras. It's a fashion. These young guys all wear the same clothes. They are just sheep.' Police are continuing to hunt the culprit who threw the chair at MacKenzie last weekend, an incident which left the Dons star with a serious facial injury. Scottish football has a crisis on its hands with how it deals with growing levels of disorder among supporters. Politicians and governing bodies have thus far shown a reluctance to get involved and have instead chosen to wash their hands of the issue. But, as the spectre of strict liability looms over our game, it's drug abuse which is behind much of the disorder. A leading academic who has researched the issue extensively, Dr Richard Purves believes cocaine has now moved ahead of alcohol as the chief safety concern on match-days. 'With the rise of the Ultras groups in recent years, the age profile of these supporters has definitely lowered,' said Dr Purves, a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Stirling. 'I've spoken to police, to safety officials, and to people involved in football's governing bodies about it. 'These younger fans can literally be kids as young as 13 or 14 in some instances. We're not talking about guys in their mid-to-late 30s anymore. 'From our research, a chief concern for police and safety officers around football matches in Scotland is now around the use of drugs. 'They told us that alcohol is longer their main concern. It is now more common for cocaine to be a bigger problem and concern on match-days. 'It's much easier to smuggle a bag of cocaine into a football match than it is to carry a glass bottle. 'What we don't yet know is what the direct effects are from cocaine with regards to disorder. 'There's just not enough research on that yet, but, clearly, you can see why some people would associate the two. 'Given the rise in young people taking cocaine in wider society, it's logical to believe that extends to football. 'Football doesn't exist in a vacuum. It reflects wider society. There has been a significant rise in cocaine use over the past decade. 'It is more normalised now for people to take cocaine, quite often alongside and mixed with alcohol. 'The UK has one of the highest cocaine rates in Europe in terms of people using it. It's just so much cheaper and more accessible now than ever before.' The issue of pyrotechnics also has inextricable links to the rise of the Ultras sub-culture, something which the SPFL are looking to address. 'Pyro always comes up now as one of the chief concerns in any discussions with the SPFL and governing bodies,' added Purves. 'They are looking at ways to mitigate the risk. Safe pyro is something which has been mentioned in the past. 'It might look great on TV or whatever, but the reality is that this stuff is very dangerous. I think it's hard to overlook that.'
Edinburgh Reporter
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Edinburgh Reporter
All square after pulsating 90-minutes at Easter Road
Hibs twice came from behind to take a share of the points against Rangers at a packed Easter Road this afternoon. After the midweek fixtures, Hibs had secured third place so there was only pride to play for. Before kick off Hibs held a minutes applause in memory of former owner Sit Tom Farmer. Disappointingly the gesture was disrupted by a section of the Rangers supporters who chanted a sectarian song throughout. This caused a reaction from the home fans who booed the Ultras. David Gray made four changes from the starting XI that drew 2-2 draw with St Mirren and gave a first start to January signing Alasana Manneh. Warren O'Hora, Nicky Cadden and Kieran Bowie were the other changes. Lewis Miller dropped out completely, while Dylan Levitt, Jordan Obita and Mykola Kuharevich dropped to the bench. Rangers made two changes with Neraysho Kasanwirjo's first start since October after returning from injury. He replaced Jefte at left-back. Danilo also replaced the injured Hamza Igamane. After a hectic opening few minutes Rangers took the lead when Jordan Smith clearance was intercepted by Nicolas Raskin. His header found the unmarked Cyriel Dessers and the striker turned and shot into the net. There was controversy on 20 minutes when Mohamed Diomande slid the ball through to Nicolas Raskin who poked it Smith. Rocky Bushiri raced back and managed to clear the ball under pressure. It looked as if the ball had crossed the line but a subsequent VAR check was unable to determine one way or another. Hibs then went up the other end and Kieran Bowie smashed in first time from a cut-back from Martin Boyle. After a lengthy VAR check the goal was given. Moments later Boyle gott on to the end of a superb ball over the top, but his first time volley flew inches wide. At the other end James Tavenier's free-kick from 25 yards out looked goal bound but Smith produced a wonderful diving save. Five minutes after the restart Rangers regained their lead after a whipped corner was nodded home by Raskin at the front post. Neraysho Kasanwirjo was then booked for stamping on Nicky Cadden which resulted in a stramash amongst both sets of players. Rangers almost made it 3-1 when Kasanwirjo's cross picked out Danilo perfectly, and the Brazilian toed his volley at goal, but Smith got down well to save. Then in the 66th minute Hibs equalised again when Boyle headed home a wonderful inch perfect cross from Nicky Cadden. Smith then produced another fine save to deny Dessers as Rangers pressed for the winner. Both sides had chances and in time added on Boyle broke clear but Jack Butland denied the striker and the game finished all square. The Hibs players lined up to wacth the fans sing Sunshine on Leith for the third time in recent weeks. After the final whistle Gray told BBC Scotland 'We gave away a bad goal and put ourselves 1-0 down very early on. It was never going to be a nothing game, there's always a wee edge to these games. 'It was a bit frantic, both teams were desperate to win. We didn't want to just fade away, it was full commitment from both sets of players. There was everything in the game. 'It was probably fitting, the way our season has gone. To not lose is another positive, the players could enjoy 'Sunshine on Leith' again, fully deserved for their efforts. Rangers' head coach Barry Ferguson said: 'It was a clear goal, it was there for everybody [to see]. It was clear to me it was over the line, then it goes to VAR and for some odd reason, they don't see it being a goal. 'That's frustrating, disappointing, and worrying. We need to be getting these decisions correct, that's why VAR is here. It's clear VAR's not working. 'I've watched it five or six times. It's clear as day that the ball is over the line.' Hibs: Smith, O'Hora, Bushiri, Iredale, C Cadden, Alasana, Triantis, N Cadden, Hoilett, Boyle, Bowie. Substitutes: Bursik, Ekpiteta, Levitt, Youan, Obita, Moriah-Welsh, Campbell, Gayle, Kuharevich. Rangers: Butland, Tavernier, Souttar, Balogun, Kasanwirjo, Barron, Diomande, Raskin, Cerny, Danilo, Dessers. Substitutes: Kelly, Propper, Cortes, Lawrence, Nsiala, McCausland, Rice, Curtis, McCallion. Like this: Like Related
News18
02-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
‘Ties With Terrorists, India As Target': The Notorious Pak Army Brigades Along LoC
Last Updated: "These Pak Army brigades are notorious for collaborating with LeT and JeM. They are also known for mutilations, beheadings, and drone-enabled weapon drops,' say intel sources Pakistan deploys several brigades along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir that work not just for their Army, but also terrorist groups such as the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), according to intelligence sources. The ties between India and Pakistan are strained in the wake of the April 22 Pahalgam attack. While the 111th infantry brigade is a specialist in coup, 212th is an expert in proxy warfare. 'The 111th's SSG units and the 212th's artillery assets reflect institutional prioritisation of hybrid warfare," said sources. These brigades are notorious for collaborating with the groups for logistics, training, and cover fire. 'They are also known for mutilations, beheadings, and drone-enabled weapon drops," said sources. 'They mix conventional artillery with terrorist infiltration, maintaining plausible deniability for Pakistan. They specialise in hybrid warfare, infiltration, and asymmetric tactics. These brigades reflect Pakistan's state-sponsored terrorism" A look at the key brigades: The Triple-1 brigade, deployed in Keran, Machil, and Tangdhar, is known for overthrowing civilian governments. It facilitated coups by Generals Ayub Khan (1958), Zia-ul-Haq (1977), and Pervez Musharraf (1999). Its proximity to Islamabad and responsibility for securing key installations such as the Prime Minister's residence make them caretaker for quick political takeovers. infiltration and psychological operations like mutilation of soldiers. They are known for the use of Chinese drones such as Wing Loong II to smuggle weapons into Kashmir and coordinate attacks via Ultras. 212TH INFANTRY BRIGADE: PROXY WARFARE EXPERT The brigade oversees sectors such as Battal and Poonch, conducting artillery duels and providing cover fire for infiltrators. It supports the LeT and JeM, notably during the 2019 Pulwama attack. Equipped with Chinese SH-15 howitzers, it is known for targeting Indian posts to distract troops during militant crossings. Both brigades operate under the guidance of the ISI, receiving logistical and intelligence support. 323RD INFANTRY BRIGADE (KERAN SECTOR): PART OF X CORPS FROM RAWALPINDI It manages the Keran sector, which is a hotspot for BAT operations. Also coordinates infiltration routes for groups such as LeT and JeM. It is linked to the 2019 Keran infiltration where BATs attempted to ambush Indian posts under artillery cover. This brigade oversees the Battal sector termed a hot area due to frequent cross-border firing and militant infiltration. It is said to be involved in the 2017 Keri sector ambush where Pakistani troops killed an Indian Major and mutilated soldiers. This brigade controls the Gurez Valley, a critical infiltration corridor near the Kishanganga River. It supports BAT operations with SSG commandos and LeT militants. It is said to have orchestrated the 2018 Gulpur infiltration attempted where terrorists attempted to breach Indian defences using night-vision gear. It manages the Tangdhar sector, a strategic area adjacent to the Neelum Valley. It facilitates drone-dropped weapons and encrypted communication for proxy groups. The brigade has been linked to the 2017 Uri sector ambush where BATs killed two Indian soldiers and mutilated their bodies, said sources. 641 MUJAHID BRIGADE (LEEPA VALLEY): PART OF X CORPS FROM RAWALPINDI It operates in the Leepa Valley, leveraging rugged terrain for covert crossings. The brigade trains militants in guerrilla tactics at camps near Muzaffarabad. It was involved in the 2016 Machil beheading incident where BATs killed and mutilated an Indian soldier, said sources. The brigade collaborates with The Resistance Front (TRF) to stage local resistance attacks. 647 MUJAHID BRIGADE (KUPWARA SECTOR): PART OF X CORPS FROM RAWALPINDI It guards the Kupwara sector, a historical infiltration route for terrorists. The brigade uses SSG commandos to guide terrorists through riverine gaps. Sources said the brigade was responsible for the 2020 Kupwara ambush where three Indian soldiers were killed in a BAT raid. It is also known for embedding terrorists with local populations to evade detection. The brigade is said to be behind the frequent shelling of villages Battal, Keran, disrupting civilian life, causing casualties and displacement. Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from geopolitics to diplomacy and global trends. Stay informed with the latest world news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : India-Pakistan ties news18 specials Pahalgam attack Pakistan army Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: May 02, 2025, 13:03 IST News world 'Ties With Terrorists, India As Target': The Notorious Pak Army Brigades Along LoC | Exclusive
