Cairo — A court has dissolved hardcore football supporters clubs, known as “ultras,” which were at the forefront of Egypt’s 2011 uprising, for their involvement in violence, a judiciary official said Saturday.



The court also banned all their activities. The ruling came after a case filed by Mourtada Mansour, chairman of Cairo-based Zamalek Club, a popular football team.



“The ultras are a criminal phenomenon that should be eradicated,” Mansour told AFP. In his case against the ultras, he accused them of acts of violence, including in the stampede that killed 19 fans outside a Cairo stadium in February.



Prosecution says 12 members of the Ultras White Knights, hardcore supporters of Zamalek, are among 16 defendants on trial over the stadium violence. — AFP