ultrAslan is a football firm associated with Galatasaray S.K. The firm was founded on 20 January 2001, after various smaller groups of fans decided that, Galatasaray, which could be seen as a European top club after their success in the

1999–2000 UEFA Cup The 1999–2000 UEFA Cup season was the 29th edition of the UEFA Cup competition. The final took place at Parken Stadium in Copenhagen and was won by Galatasaray, who defeated Arsenal in the final. The game was scoreless through the first ninety ...

and 2000 UEFA Super Cup, needed a large, organised fan group. This led to the creation of ultrAslan under the leadership of Alpaslan Dikmen, the main coordinator until his accidental death on 27 September 2008. The name of the organisation is a

portmanteau A portmanteau word, or portmanteau (, ) is a blend of wordsUltras Ultras are a type of association football fans who are renowned for their fanatical support. The term originated in Italy, but is used worldwide to describe predominantly organised fans of association football teams. The behavioural tende ...

" and "Aslan" (the

lion The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large Felidae, cat of the genus ''Panthera'' native to Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body; short, rounded head; round ears; and a hairy tuft at the end of its tail. It is sexually dimorphi ...

). ultrAslan are renowned for their creative choreography and use of

flare A flare, also sometimes called a fusée, fusee, or bengala in some Latin-speaking countries, is a type of pyrotechnic that produces a bright light or intense heat without an explosion. Flares are used for distress signaling, illumination, ...

s. After a

derby match A sports rivalry is intense competition between athletic teams or athletes, affecting participants, management, and supporters all to varying degrees. The intensity of the rivalry can range anywhere from a light hearted banter to serious violen ...

against Fenerbahçe S.K. was interrupted due to the use of over 3000 flares, the use of flares was completely forbidden in the Turkish leagues, with the introduction of stiff fines for offenses. In contrast to many other European fan groups, ultrAslan, although patriotic, is generally had the apolitical in nature.Bericht im Online-Sportmagazin Radyospor
/ref> It is quite critical of the club management, and has a major influence on the transfer policy of the club. It strictly declines any financial support or supply of free tickets from the club, and is financed by donations by members as well as by the sale of self-produced articles. Similarly to other Ultra-groups in Europe, they oppose the commercialisation of football.

External links

Official website

References

{{Galatasaray S.K. Galatasaray S.K. Association football hooligan firms Gangs in Turkey 2001 establishments in Turkey