Friday, August 29, 2025
The Nordic Times

Polaris of Enlightenment

Friday, August 29, 2025

Polaris of Enlightenment

Breaking News
This article was published 2 years ago

https://nordictimes.com/sport/malmo-ff-clinches-2023-swedish-soccer-championship-in-tense-1-0-victory/

Sport

Malmö FF clinches 2023 Swedish soccer championship in tense 1-0 victory

Published 13 November 2023
– By Editorial Staff
2023 Swedish soccer champions.
3 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Malmö FF are the 2023 Swedish soccer champions after a dramatic 1-0 victory in an even more exciting match at the Eleda Stadium in Malmö.

The winners of this year’s Allsvenskan are crowned. Malmö FF dethroned reigning champions BK Häcken with their 23rd gold medal and can now call themselves the 2023 Swedish soccer champions.

The first half was a predictable one, with Malmö dominating possession and Elfsborg focusing on counter-attacking. As is often the case in these games, the first half was more about struggle than beauty, with the visitors initially exploiting the right flank with the tenacious play of Per Frick.

Isac Kiese Thelin had a great chance to give the home side the lead late in the first half, but his shot was blocked at the last moment by an Elfsborg defender.

Second half delayed

The second half was delayed by more than an hour due to disturbances in the stands, including the burning of Bengali torches by fans. This caused great concern in the arena as the fire alarm was sounded and the fire brigade was called to assess the situation.

Fortunately, it turned out that the alarm was not caused by a fire, but rather by smoke from the flares. When the game finally resumed, the afternoon clock read 17:05, well after the other games had finished.

Controversial penalty decides match

The second half began in much the same way as the first, with Malmö enjoying most of the possession. In the 55th minute, referee Nyberg awarded a penalty to Malmö after Malmö’s Kiese Thelin and Elfsborg’s Ibrahim Buhari were involved in a challenge where Thelin, according to referee Nyberg, was tripped by the Elfsborg player.

Many believe that this was a 50/50 situation. Not least former referee Jonas Eriksson was critical.

– It’s a situation that I don’t think ten out of ten referees would call, not even one out of ten. It’s 50/50. It’s not wrong, but it’s not crystal clear right either, Eriksson commented in the TV 5 studio.

The goal proved to be the deciding factor, and Malmö won 1-0 to overtake Elfsborg on goal difference (by two goals) and become the 2023 Swedish soccer champions.

BK Häcken won the Little Silver with their third place finish, and Djurgårdens IF took the bronze. The Allsvenskan is a bit unusual with gold, big and small silver, and bronze (for the fourth-placed team). Otherwise it’s standard for the top three to win medals, but not in Sweden.

Malmö can look forward to qualifying for the Champions League next summer, and Elfsborg and BK Häcken can look forward to qualifying for the European Conference League. DIF can also qualify for the ECL, but only if one of the top 3 teams wins the Swedish Cup next year, or if they win it themselves.

Brommapojkarna will have to play Utsiktens BK from Göteborg in a relegation playoff for a place in the Allsvenskan in 2024.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

TNT is truly independent!

We don’t have a billionaire owner, and our unique reader-funded model keeps us free from political or corporate influence. This means we can fearlessly report the facts and shine a light on the misdeeds of those in power.

Consider a donation to keep our independent journalism running…

https://nordictimes.com/sport/male-nfl-cheerleaders-spark-reactions/

Sport

Male NFL cheerleaders spark reactions

Published 19 August 2025
– By Editorial Staff
The Minnesota Vikings welcome Blaize Shiek and Louie Conn to their cheerleading squad.
2 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

The NFL team Minnesota Vikings has for the first time selected male cheerleaders for its regular squad. Their debut during the weekend’s game quickly led to both criticism and praise on social media.

It was during the game against Las Vegas Raiders that Blaize Shiek and Louie Conn performed on the field for the first time together with the team’s other cheerleaders.

The phenomenon of male cheerleaders is not entirely unique, however. Twelve of the league’s 32 teams currently have male members in their cheerleading squads, which represents just over a third of the teams.

Previously, men have been present in NFL cheerleading activities primarily as so-called “lifters” or stuntmen, a tradition that teams like the Baltimore Ravens introduced as early as 1998.

Starting in 2018, several teams have gone further to also include male dancers in their squads. This marked a departure from the previous arrangement where dance roles were reserved exclusively for women.

Minnesota Vikings is now one of the teams that allows men to be integrated directly into the traditional cheerleader group. The two new members, Blaize Shiek and Louie Conn, are part of the squad on the same terms as the other cheerleaders.

Reactions have been mixed. Critical posts have spread on social media, but the team emphasizes that the audition process is open to everyone and that male cheerleaders are not something new within the league.

The question of male cheerleaders has repeatedly sparked debate in the United States, where some highlight inclusion and diversity while others argue that traditional elements of the sport are being changed.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Facts: Male cheerleaders in the NFL

  • First in the league: Los Angeles Rams and New Orleans Saints in 2018.
  • Number of teams in 2025: Twelve of 32 NFL teams have male cheerleaders.
  • Different roles:
    – Lifters/stuntmen – for example with the Baltimore Ravens since 1998.
    – Dancers – introduced in 2018 by the Rams and Saints.
    – Integrated cheerleaders – men in regular squads, for example with the Minnesota Vikings.

https://nordictimes.com/sport/ten-year-old-makes-chess-history/

Sport

Ten-year-old makes chess history

Published 18 August 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Indian player Bodhana Sivanandan defeated 60-year-old grandmaster Peter Wells.
1 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Ten-year-old Indian Bodhana Sivanandan has won the title “Woman International Master” in chess. She is the youngest person ever to win the title and to defeat a grandmaster.

Bodhana, who is a British citizen and lives in London, began playing chess during the coronavirus crisis when she was only five years old.

— When it was 2020, it was Covid, so one of my dad’s friends was going back to India, and he had a few toys and books, and he gave them to us, Bodhana tells BBC. In one of the bags, I saw a chessboard, and I was interested in the pieces.

She began playing with the pieces, but her father explained that you could also play games with them. From the beginning, the girl showed talent for the game, something her father was amazed by since no one else in the family was particularly good at chess.

Defeated grandmaster

During the British championships, she defeated 60-year-old grandmaster Peter Wells, making her the youngest chess player ever to defeat a grandmaster. The previous record was held by American Carissa Yip, who achieved it in 2019.

With her victory against Wells, she also earned the title “Woman International Master” (WIM), which is the second-highest title for female chess players after Woman Grandmaster, which is the highest.

Bodhana says that chess makes her feel good and helps her with “many other things, like math and counting”. The ten-year-old’s goal is to become a grandmaster.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/sport/duplantis-breaks-world-record-yet-again/

Sport

Duplantis breaks world record yet again

Published 13 August 2025
– By Editorial Staff
It has now been over two years since Duplantis last lost a competition.
1 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Swedish pole vaulter Armand Duplantis has set a new world record in pole vault. It is the athletics star’s 13th world record.

During this week’s Continental Tour in Budapest, Hungary, the 25-year-old first jumped 6.11 meters and thereby secured victory ahead of Emmanouil Karalis, who cleared 6.02 meters. This marks Duplantis’ 32nd consecutive competition victory – it has now been over two years since he last lost.

On his second attempt, he raised the bar to 6.29 meters and cleared the height, which became his new world record.

— I knew I had a good chance when I went over. But I hit it pretty hard too. Just tried to stay cool. I’m glad it stayed up, Duplantis tells Swedish public broadcaster SVT.

Earlier this year, he broke not just one, but two world records. In March, he jumped 6.27 meters at the All Star Perche in Clermont-Ferrand, France, and then broke that new record on home soil in June with 6.28 meters.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/sport/sweden-launches-leisure-card-subsidy-for-childrens-activities/

Sport

Sweden launches leisure card subsidy for children’s activities

Published 11 August 2025
– By Editorial Staff
All children between eight and 16 years old receive 500 kronor (approximately €45) per year to spend on a regular leisure activity.
1 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Starting in September, the Leisure Card (Fritidskortet) can be used to partially fund children’s activities outside of school. The Swedish government hopes the initiative will encourage a more active lifestyle.

The Leisure Card is part of the Swedish government’s reform to promote children’s and young people’s participation in sports, culture, outdoor activities and community organizations. The card is used digitally by guardians, and all children between eight and 16 years old receive SEK 500 (€45) per year to spend on regular leisure activities. Families who received housing allowance last year instead get SEK 2,000 (€180) per child on the card.

— As Minister for Social Affairs, I want to make life a little easier for people by creating good conditions for health and community. The Leisure Card is a reform that enables children and young people to have an active leisure time together with others. The family’s finances should not determine whether a child can participate in a leisure activity or not, said Swedish Social Affairs Minister Jakob Forssmed last year.

The association or cultural school must be connected to the Leisure Card system for the subsidy to be valid. The money can also be used to rent equipment. By “regular” it means that the activity needs to take place at least six times during a six-month period.

Applications for the subsidy open on September 1.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

N

Polaris of Enlightenment

News

Other

Subscribe to our newsletter!

Follow TNT socials!

X-twitter Facebook Telegram Instagram

© 2022-2025 The Nordic Times TNT.
All rights reserved.

Our independent journalism needs your support!
We appreciate all of your donations to keep us alive and running.

Donate

Our independent journalism needs your support!
Consider a donation.

You can donate any amount of your choosing, one-time payment or even monthly.
We appreciate all of your donations to keep us alive and running.

Donate
Dont miss another article!

Sign up for our newsletter today!

Take part of uncensored news – free from industry interests and political correctness from the Polaris of Enlightenment – every week.