Injuries after Football 'Ultras' Ambush Rivals' Train in Italy

Udinese's Lorenzo Lucca celebrates after scoring a goal during the Italian soccer Serie A match between Udinese Calcio and Venezia FC at the Bluenergy stadium in Udine, Italy, 01 February 2025. (EPA)
Udinese's Lorenzo Lucca celebrates after scoring a goal during the Italian soccer Serie A match between Udinese Calcio and Venezia FC at the Bluenergy stadium in Udine, Italy, 01 February 2025. (EPA)
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Injuries after Football 'Ultras' Ambush Rivals' Train in Italy

Udinese's Lorenzo Lucca celebrates after scoring a goal during the Italian soccer Serie A match between Udinese Calcio and Venezia FC at the Bluenergy stadium in Udine, Italy, 01 February 2025. (EPA)
Udinese's Lorenzo Lucca celebrates after scoring a goal during the Italian soccer Serie A match between Udinese Calcio and Venezia FC at the Bluenergy stadium in Udine, Italy, 01 February 2025. (EPA)

Hard-core Udinese fans stopped a train carrying rivals from Venice on Saturday in an ambush that caused several injuries after a match between the two Italian clubs, reports said Sunday.

The AGI news agency reported that six people were injured and 11 arrested after the Saturday evening clashes near Basiliano station, not far from Udine, while La Gazetta dello Sport daily put the injured at 11, with eight arrests.

Udine police were unable to confirm any details when contacted by AFP.

According the reports, around 50 masked Udinese "ultras" went onto the track and launched smoke bombs to stop the train carrying Venice supporters back home after the Serie A match, which Udinese won 3-2.

They threw stones at the train, carrying 300 Venezia supporters as well as other passengers, and then hit rivals who descended onto the platform with sticks and batons.

Police intervened, including with a helicopter, and quickly put an end to the fighting.

Among the injured, two were hospitalized, but they are not in a life-threatening condition, the reports said.

The match had been highlighted as high risk after violence erupted when the teams met in Venice on October 30, when Udinese fans were attacked near the train station before they returned home.

According to the Italian press, the Udinese hooligans this weekend were backed by ultras from the Austrian club Salzburg, with whom they have links.



Saudi U15 Girls' National Team Begins Training Camp in Jeddah

The camp runs through November 19 as part of the team's preparations for upcoming competitions - SPA
The camp runs through November 19 as part of the team's preparations for upcoming competitions - SPA
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Saudi U15 Girls' National Team Begins Training Camp in Jeddah

The camp runs through November 19 as part of the team's preparations for upcoming competitions - SPA
The camp runs through November 19 as part of the team's preparations for upcoming competitions - SPA

The Saudi U15 girls' national football team begins its training camp today in Jeddah. The camp runs through November 19 as part of the team's preparations for upcoming competitions.

The camp aims to enhance the players' technical and physical readiness and strengthen team cohesion through a training program developed by the coaching staff, SPA reported.

The program is designed to improve performance and prepare the team for the next phase.

The camp is part of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation's development plan for the U15 girls' national team.


Sport Ministry Launches Ticketing Platform Accreditation Service Through Riyadhi Platform

Sport Ministry Launches Ticketing Platform Accreditation Service Through Riyadhi Platform
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Sport Ministry Launches Ticketing Platform Accreditation Service Through Riyadhi Platform

Sport Ministry Launches Ticketing Platform Accreditation Service Through Riyadhi Platform

The Saudi Ministry of Sport announced on Sunday the launch of a service to accredit platforms that sell and resell tickets for sports competitions and events in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The service is available through the ministry’s Riyadhi Platform (riyadhi.sa) and aims to regulate ticket sales and resale in accordance with ministry-approved regulations while streamlining accreditation procedures for investors and platform operators, according to SPA.

The ministry previously granted ticketing platform operators a 90-day grace period, starting from October 26, when the regulations governing ticket sales for sports competitions and events were issued, to update their systems and align their operations with the approved technical and regulatory requirements.


Sabalenka Apologizes for Outburst During Loss to Svitolina

13 November 2026, US, Indian Wells: Belarusian tennis player Aryna Sabalenka in action against Ukraine's Elina Svitolina during their women's singles group stage match of the FAGE WTA Finals tennis tournament at Indian Wells. Photo: Charles Baus/CSM via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
13 November 2026, US, Indian Wells: Belarusian tennis player Aryna Sabalenka in action against Ukraine's Elina Svitolina during their women's singles group stage match of the FAGE WTA Finals tennis tournament at Indian Wells. Photo: Charles Baus/CSM via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
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Sabalenka Apologizes for Outburst During Loss to Svitolina

13 November 2026, US, Indian Wells: Belarusian tennis player Aryna Sabalenka in action against Ukraine's Elina Svitolina during their women's singles group stage match of the FAGE WTA Finals tennis tournament at Indian Wells. Photo: Charles Baus/CSM via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
13 November 2026, US, Indian Wells: Belarusian tennis player Aryna Sabalenka in action against Ukraine's Elina Svitolina during their women's singles group stage match of the FAGE WTA Finals tennis tournament at Indian Wells. Photo: Charles Baus/CSM via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa

Aryna Sabalenka apologized on Saturday for her angry outburst during her defeat by Ukraine's Elina Svitolina at the WTA Finals.

Television footage appeared to show the Belarusian swearing during Friday's round-robin match, with some social media users interpreting her remarks as being directed at Svitolina or Ukrainians. The loss eliminated Sabalenka from the season-ending tournament.

"My comment was not directed at Elina," Sabalenka said in a social ⁠media post.

"I was ⁠frustrated with a small group of spectators who were aggressively cheering my mistakes, and I reacted emotionally in the moment.

"That said, I should have handled my frustration differently, and I apologize to anyone I offended.

"Elina played a great match, ⁠and I wish her all the best for the rest of the tournament."

Svitolina did not shake hands with Sabalenka after the match, maintaining her policy of not doing so with Russian or Belarusian opponents following Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, which Moscow launched with Belarus as a staging ground.

Asked about her reaction to Sabalenka's apology, Svitolina called for mutual respect, acknowledging that fans' passions ⁠can ⁠sometimes run high.

"We've played many times with Aryna. She has her fans, I have my fans," she told reporters after her semi-final win over Linda Noskova on Saturday.

According to Reuters, she expressed hope that matches between the two of them would be respected, "because yes, sometimes in some matches that we've played, also been not great comments towards me in regards of the war."

Svitolina, the 2018 WTA Finals champion, faces Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva in Sunday's final.