Posted on 09/01/2010 6:58:56 AM PDT by greatdefender
NYON, Switzerland – UEFA has banned fans from bringing vuvuzelas into stadiums for European Championship and Champions League matches.
UEFA said Wednesday it wanted to protect the culture and tradition of fans singing at European soccer matches from the "negative effect" of the South African plastic trumpets made famous — and notorious — at the World Cup.
"UEFA feels that the instrument's widespread use would not be appropriate in Europe," the organization said in a statement.
All 53 European soccer nations have been told to enforce the ban at UEFA's national team and club competition matches.
Vuvuzelas provided the World Cup soundtrack in South Africa, where every match was accompanied by a low-pitch drone likened to a swarm of buzzing bees.
FIFA refused to ban vuvuzelas despite repeated calls from players and broadcasters, defending them as part of South African soccer culture.
However, they have since been banned by organizers of events such as basketball's world championship and the Little League World Series, and by most English Premier League clubs.
Europe's soccer authority acknowledged Wednesday that the vuvuzela had a place in world soccer culture.
"In the specific context of South Africa, the vuvuzela adds a touch of local flavor and folklore," UEFA said, before adding that they would change the traditional atmosphere at European matches.
"The magic of football consists of the two-way exchange of emotions between the pitch and the stands, where the public can transmit a full range of feelings to the players," UEFA said. "UEFA is of the view that the vuvuzelas would completely change the atmosphere, drowning supporter emotions and detracting from the experience of the game."
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Do you know what this did to receipts at sports bars worldwide?
Chanting, applause, whistles, drumbeats, horn sections, etc. - they are as much a part of football (soccer) as the 22 players on the pitch. They reflect national/club personalities. Vuvuzelas, as we know all too well by now, reduce crowd noise to a constant buzzing drone.
This decision comes too late to redeem the abysmal 2012 World Cup but it’s the right decision at least.
“Horns, horns, horns, in dark mindolluins sides they dimly echoed. Great horns of the north wildly blowing. Rohan had come at last.”
Europe already has plenty of hot air and noise.
Good.
having been to hundreds of games all over Europe then soccer(football) is also the crowd singing at each other , having banters back and forth etc.
These loud awful horns drown out the singing etc and kills the atmosphere.
Thankfully UEFA has banned them.
Imagine having to sit in front of a guy blowing this horn right next to your ear and the commentators were so desperate through PC to make this world cup great because it was held in Africa kept saying the atmosphere was great.
ER no it was not, it was crap.
Never again should the worlds largest most watched sports tournament be held in Africa again
Everyone who went there who I knew said it was utterly crap, no segregation, no atmosphere, security crap, transport crap, night life was crap compared to previous world cups etc
Should be stuck up the South End of the blower. Then we would hear a really low tone.
south africa will get what it wants when it wants ... its a liberal dreamland
I can’t hear you!!!!....WHAT??????
bump
Yea!!! As a sports lover whose new to soccer and trying to like it, banning of those obnoxious horns is music to my ears!!!!
You have to stand next to one of these horns from hell to understand how loud they are. I heard some Spanish fans blowing on them when I was walking down State Street in Madison, Wisc. after the final. They are so loud, you can’t hear yourself think.
Ah yes, the vuvuzela, the injection-molded plastic horn that traces its heritage back to the Zulus, who were well-known in the 1800s for their skill at making...injection-molded plastic horns. Or something.
bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
}:-)4
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