LONDON: Saudi Arabian football fans are ready to brave supporting the Green Falcons at next year’s World Cup in Russia, despite widespread fears about hooliganism.
This summer the Russian tourist board opened a World Cup information center in London which the British media reported was to help ease England fans’ fears about hooligans at the 2018 World Cup.
The Russia tourist board denied that this was the reason behind the opening.
Last year’s European Championships, for many, set a worrying precedent.
Russia fans clashed repeatedly with England supporters when the two teams met in the group-stage match in Marseilles. The clashes, which took place both inside and outside the stadium, were blamed on a group of 150 hardcore trained hooligans from Russian gangs who traveled to France just to cause trouble.
“I and other fans have heard a few stories about Russian fans, stories saying they are violent and aggressive,” said Saudi football fan Faisal Ali. “I haven’t come across any Russian fans but we have heard stories about them fighting and taking on other fans. Hopefully it won’t put fans off traveling to support the country but it is the current climate of the world everyone seems weary of everyone else at the moment, it’s just how it is.”
It was the worst violence at an international tournament since the 1998 World Cup, also in France. The worried mood was not helped when Russian MP Igor Lebedev told the thugs after their battle in Marseilles: “Well done lads. Keep it up!”
The deadly display in France is set against a no less worrying backdrop of violence at Russian domestic matches. Neo-Nazi groups regularly turn up to games, the result being that their displays of hate and racism are as much a feature of the 90 minutes as goals and tackles.
That, however, has not put off Saudi Arabia fans keen to cheer on the team’s first appearance at a World Cup for 12 years. While the fans Arab News spoke to were well aware of threat of violence, they claimed they would not miss the opportunity to support their team in Russia.
Abdullah Al-Hudaithi said it was not the first time a World Cup had been scheduled to take place in a country where security fears sometimes dominated discussion.
“We know about Russia fans, we watched the European Championships and saw what happened,” Al-Hudaithi said.
“They have organized groups and we saw the violence and the unprovoked attacks, Russian fans have a bad reputation.
“But the World Cup has taken place in countries that many don’t think are safe before. In South Africa and Brazil there was worry about the threat of robberies.”
Added to that is the hope, and expectation, that Russian authorities will ensure there will be no major trouble while the eyes of the world are focused on the country.
“I expect there will be trouble between England and Russia fans, but not with us,” Al-Hudaithi said.
“We don’t have any Ultras, groups like that, we are well behaved so that’s why I don’t expect any trouble.
“Russian hooligans can be brutal, but inside their own country I expect the authorities to be organized and stop any trouble.”
Indeed, such is the expectation that trouble will not tarnish Saudi fans’ World Cup, the biggest worry ahead of the tournament is the more prosaic problem of getting visas and arranging travel.
“I have a few questions about getting a visa, we cannot get a tourist visa here in Saudi Arabia. That is my biggest worry,” Abdullah Al-Jassim said.
“I and many friends are planning to go to the 2018 World Cup but certainly there must be facilities by the Russian government on visas, safety and facilities.”
This summer the Confederations Cup, the traditional dry run for the World Cup, took place in Russia and passed off without incident.
That according to Alexey Cherepanov, director of Visit Russia UK, is what all fans can expect next summer.
“The news in the UK has presented (the Russian World Cup and opening of our office in London) in very negative terms, in real life it is not as the press has presented it, they have sensationalized it all,” he told Arab News.
“People in Russia welcome football fans and foreigners, we love and respect all people.
“This center in London is unique, it’s a pilot project if it goes well then other Visit Russia offices can open a World Cup office as well.
“In the Middle East we have Visit Russia offices in Dubai, Iran and Kuwait. Fans from KSA can call us and we’d try to help as much as possible.”
Saudi football fans shrug off Russian hooligan fears for 2018 World Cup
Saudi football fans shrug off Russian hooligan fears for 2018 World Cup
Detry, LIV Golf veteran Uihlein share first-round lead in Riyadh
- Detry, the newest full-time member of 4Aces GC, shot a bogey-free 7-under 65 under the lights at Riyadh Golf Club
RIYADH: Thomas Detry admitted feeling “a bit nervous” entering his LIV Golf debut on Wednesday.
So did Elvis Smylie, another of the league’s newcomers, but their opening-round performances under the lights at Riyadh Golf Club showed they are both ready to make some serious noise this season.
Detry, the newest full-time member of 4Aces GC, shot a bogey-free seven-under 65 to grab a share of the ROSHN Group LIV Golf Riyadh lead with LIV Golf veteran Peter Uihlein of RangeGoats GC.
Smylie, the 23-year-old rising star who joined the all-Australian Ripper GC, carded a 66 that left him in solo third. The two were among 10 players — eight full-timers and two reserves — playing their first-ever LIV Golf rounds.
Byeong Hun An, the new captain of Korean Golf Club, also sparkled in his debut, shooting 67 to join a group of six players tied for fourth. HyFlyers GC’s Michael La Sasso shot 69 in his pro debut as the league’s youngest player at age 21.
Torque GC grabbed the team lead at 15 under, with the all-South African Southern Guards GC two shots behind. Defending Riyadh champions and reigning LIV Golf Team Champions Legion XIII are in solo third at 11 under.
Detry and Smylie each hit 10 fairways, tying for best in the field, while Detry also was tied for the lead in greens in regulation, hitting 17 of 18. He prepared for playing at night by practicing under the lights with his coach in Abu Dhabi.
“First day on the job, so a little bit of a change for me, so a bit nervous,” said the Belgian, whose most recent win was in February last year on the PGA Tour. “I drove it so well out there, it made my job pretty easy.”
Smylie suffered a bogey on his second hole before finding his rhythm. Five of his seven birdies came on par fours, tying new Smash GC Captain Talor Gooch for most by any other player on Wednesday.
“I think there were a little bit of nerves and excitement, but I think I showed what I’m capable of today, or tonight, I should say,” Smylie said.
While Detry and Smylie were making their first LIV Golf starts, Uihlein was embarking on start number 51 as one of eight original players who have started every tournament since LIV Golf debuted in London in 2022.
He remains in search of his first LIV Golf win, although he won two International Series events on the Asian Tour in 2024. Those were each 72-hole tournaments, and Uihlein hopes LIV Golf’s format switch from 54 holes to 72 starting this season will prove beneficial to him.
“I’m not scared of a blowup every now and then on a hole in particular, so now I have more holes to make it up,” Uihlein said. “I think it’s going to benefit me long-term, which is nice.”
Gooch is among the group lurking at five under. He has won four individual titles and the 2023 season-long Individual Championship, all in the previous 54-hole format. He and the other veteran LIV Golf players have had to adjust their mindset.
“Definitely has a totally different vibe,” Gooch said.
“Only 18 more holes, it’s not that vastly different. But even on the range when we were about to go, I was giving everybody a little fist bump and said, ‘Let’s go get it,’ and Harold (Varner III, his new Smash teammate) said, ‘Hey, don’t come out the gate sprinting. It’s not a sprint anymore.’”
It remains serious business, though, especially with a bevy of newcomers in the expanded 57-player field determined to make a quick impression even while getting used to LIV Golf’s energetic tournament days.
“I think even with the concerts and the entertainment outside of the golf, that’s something that I’m really enjoying,” Smylie said. “I feel like I’m really thriving in an environment like that, and it’s great to start my LIV career here in Riyadh.”
