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Harry Easter
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vuvuzela vuvuzela horn vuvuzela horn hearing loss World Cup Horn world cup horn deafnessThe sound of the World Cup horn, or vuvuzela horn mimics that of a swarm of bees and this vuvuzela horn has been the only sound heard at the World Cup 2010. Tens of thousands of South African fans have taken them to games and blown the World Cup horn as loudly as they can for the entire match.
World Cup Horn
However what was just an annoying din has now escalated into a health threat with authorities and specialists claiming that prolonged exposure to the noise emitted from the World Cup horn could result in hearing loss and in some cases deafness.
To illustrate their point about the World Cup horn, they tested its output and found that the vuvuzela emits a noise at 127 decibels. This shockingly is louder than a drum, 122 decibels, and the ref’s whistle, 121.8 decibels. A 10 decibel increase in sound means that a 127 decibel noise is twice as loud as a 117 decibel sound. Local fans have been blowing these tuneless horns mercilessly since the tournament began and has caused no end of irritation to viewers and fans.
There have been petitions to FIFA from authorities but everyone’s favourite head Sepp Blatter refused to ban the World Cup horn on account of its traditional ties to South Africa. However players similarly are not amused and have complained that the racket completely puts them off their game. One solution would be for World Cup broadcasters to simply transmit the audio from their commentators only and omit crowd noise all together.
In a blow to right-thinking people the world over one of the principal World Cup organisers, Rich Mkhonda has gone on record stating, “Vuvuzelas are here to stay and will never be banned. Their history is ingrained in the history of South Africa.” This was issued after World Cup organising committee chairman Danny Jordaan said that a ban on vuvuzelas inside stadiums was under consideration. Rich Mkhonda went on to add, “If you go back in history, vuvuzelas emanate from the horns used by our forefathers to call meetings. It’s a way for fans to express themselves, and not just football fans. rugby fans embraced the vuvuzela at the recent Super 14 and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if they are used in cricket in the future.”
For fans the world over, it would appear that the World Cup horn is ruining any enjoyment whatsoever from watching the game. There is no atmosphere at all, with singing, chanting and cheering all totally drowned out. Commentators have pondered whether fans in South Africa should throw their vuvuzelas onto the pitch to have it banned by FIFA as a threat to the players.
8:20 pm
I was so looking forward to the world cup finals only to have the occasion be ruined by the infernal noise created by the monotone unbearable racket of the plastic horns.Please ban them before I turn my allegiance to the rugby world cup.
12:08 am
At first I thought the vuvuzela horn’s output was loud and ‘in your face’. However, as the FIFA cup tourney progressed, I felt that the vuvuzela’s sound was an interesting addition to the colourful-stodgey chants and songs emanating from the mouths of enthusiastic Futbol fans!
If we really push to “ban” this expression of enthusiasm then we introduce the harsh element of police-state-control over a sport that is essentially entertainment for the masses!
Long live and long shall we blow the Vuvuzela!
9:06 pm
Please ban these horns – the games are going to be ruined, South Africa have worked so hard dont let this noise ruin it now.
9:08 pm
I have waited in earnest for the world cup but it is completley ruined by the horn blowing please please ban them now dosent anyone listen to the majority anymore.
9:14 pm
The games are boring on mute and the mindless idiots blowing the horns make me furious. I refuse to watch anymore. They can go stick their horns.
9:22 pm
I have enough of this din. It’s spoiling my viewing and I turned off the Holland Denmark match from my TV.
Please do not let this take hold at UK soccer matches.
9:40 pm
I LOVE the horns! I wouldn’t want to see them anywhere other than at the cup but the fan noise imo is all part of the experience. That being said, I’m sure it’s incredibly annoying at the stadium :P
10:39 pm
I wouldn’t mind so much if the horns were just at the games. I live in London and you can’t get away from them. I live near a busy road and the noise never stops, all day all night people walking or driving past blowing the horn thinking its fun.
Everywhere from train stations to Tesco Car Parks all you hear is
“HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG”
Its about as funny as holding your hand on your car horn for the entire journey (they do that too).
10:45 pm
This noise is ridculous i cant even have the sound on at night because the buzz wakes the kids up upstairs i am boycotting every match except my countries games because of this selfish, inconsiderate noise generated by temporary football fans. Anyone who loves football would want their team to be able to differentiate their noise from the opposing teams fans. Thanks fifa by not banning these ridiculous horns you have ruined the world cup for millions of true footballing fans who cannot afford to go out to africa. The world cup i have looked forward to for 4 years is now a complete waste of time and a dead experience this will be known as years to come as the world cup that killed football.
10:56 pm
These horns are ridiculously annoying. I can’t imagine how much marketing money is going to waste since people are turning the volume down.
11:13 pm
Annoying and typical of those who lack consideration of others. These are the same types of people that play car stereos with subwoofers the size of crates and drive around with the windows open or crank it while they wash the car in the driveway.
It’s like tolerating that annoying kid who won’t behave and the watching the parent that is completely clueless and ill-equipped to handle it.
Can’t anyone make rules and keep people to them anymore???!!! Way to ruin the World Cup!
11:49 pm
the note that these horns generate is mostly in G flat ,if the mics around the pitches cannot be turned off then is it not possible for a graphic equaliser or similar device to be used to eliminate or reduce this infernal noise before the game is transmited ? at least that would be a start,obviously some other sounds on this same wavelentgh would also be lost but lets face it its turning into a crisis and fans are turning off in their thousands the world over , the world cup experience is being ruined by these horns. FOR FOOTY FANS EVERYWHERE DO SOMETHING QUICK BEFORE ITS TOO LATE !!!!!!
12:29 am
Don’t let the horns ruin this world cup, you cant even hear the
fan singing, a friend of mine is in South Africa he said it ruining the tournament, most of the fans from other country’s don’t want this they want the football atmosphere not a car horn for the 90 minutes’ you cant even hear the supporters when an exciting moment happens or the celebrations when a goal is scored, what a mess up, can you imagine the final no one will watch it, who agreed to this do they no anything about football, its about the supporters from all over the world travelling to South Africa not horns blowing so loud, Poor Poor disappointment bad organization this is going to be the worst world cup in history if the horns are not band.
1:55 am
I had been looking forward to watching the World Cup broadcasts as a recent fan of (soccer) football. What a huge disappointment! I can’t handle the constant blurt of the horns. I can’t hear the head-butting of the ball, the players on the pitch, the calls from the side, the commentary.
What if the players just refused to play until the din subsided?
I’ll switch back to watching American basketball finals.
Thanks anyway South Africa.
2:40 am
It is linked to their culture: fair enough. However, I wonder how many South Africans are actually at the games…isn’t it mostly tourists with a lot of money?
I feel bad for the players.
Some people are simply ignorant. Sigh.
It’s still a beautiful game though!
3:01 am
Finally something that is as annoying and brainless as SOCCER fans claiming that their sport is exciting and entertaining and makes for good TV.
4:19 am
I have to watch the games on mute, this is downright ridiculous! They should ban those blasted horns! These fans are trying to ruin the game for everyone else… that’s it!
FIFA has their head up their arse if they think this is about culture. South Africa needs to ban them before they get pinned as the worst world cup in recent history. If this keeps up, I’m going to stop watching, and so will many others. I want to enjoy the bloody game, not get a migraine from it!
If I was a player, I would consider a boycott. Cancel games with teams refusing to play until something is done. No games would bring that issue to a grinding halt.
Peter
1:01 pm
This constant buzzing is awful. Who wants to listen to for a month?
2:32 pm
I love World Cup soccer, but I lasted 5 minutes in the game last night before I switched off. No question, these horns will stop people watching the game.
12:42 am
I dislike soccer but wanted to get into the world cup due to being a South African and the sheer magnitude of the event.
Until i heard that horrible instrument in a shopping centre-it is LOUD,tuneless and ear splitting-no thank you!
1:28 am
I’ve already stopped watching, between 50% ties, and no atmosphere, I’ve better things to do than watch soccer on mute. Horrible. I’m vastly glad I didn’t go through the expense to attend in person.
If it’s culture, the culture is crap and has ruined the most anticipated sporting event in the world. It’s highly exclusive and rude. I’ll just watch the wrap ups online. Maybe they will have them banned by the round of 16. I suggest boycotting now. Blow the things all you want while South Africa plays, but show some respect otherwise.
Perhaps they can choose to host in a country the throws fecal matter in celebration next time, that would be splendid. I’m all for “cultural” expansion. Fifa has “blown” it.
7:48 am
Give me a break, if FIFA and fans want to hear the ‘traditional’ singing and chanting of European fans, why didn’t they have the World Cup in Europe. I am with the South Africans, blow your horns, its your culture, don’t let anyone dictate your experiences in your own country.
4:57 pm
I bought a new television for the world cup but have hardly switched it on this has to be the worst world cup ever I’m so glad I didn’t go there.
Every game sound the same. Have a word Nelson!!!
5:01 pm
Bring me the head of Sepp Blatter
6:46 am
As a non footie fan, I was quietly looking forward to the world cup. The first match I heard the stupid horns, I couldn’t believe it. It sounds like a bees nest on the end of the microphone !.. I don’t watch anymore and several of friends who are avid fans have switched off as well . What a shame for fans
12:10 pm
Culture, shmulture. Sepp Blatter should be locked in a sound-proofed room and forced to endure that mind-numbing, nerve-wracking BRAAAAAAWWWWWWNNNNNNNNKKKKKKKKKKKKK! noise for a day. Then see what he has to say after he staggers out of that room bleeding from his ruptured eardrums.
And for those people out there that fully support the use of those horns? I’m taking an educated guess that you’ve never encountered this extremely annoying phenomenon up CLOSE. Try sitting in front of one of those yahoos as he’s blatting away on one of those plastic abominations next to your ear. I have, and barely managed to restrain myself from ramming it into one of his body orifices (guess which one). To his credit, though, he had the presence of mind to notice that others in the immediate vicinity were having similar ideas. He soon stopped. Now picture yourself sitting amidst several thousand yahoos blatting away on these God-forsaken horns at the same time, AND FOR THE ENTIRE DURATION OF THE MATCH. Hearing it on the telly isn’t the same as hearing it in the stands.
Having to endure that thrice-accursed 120+ decibel monotonic din every game is too much. If they keep this up, they’ll probably summon every bee and/or locust in a thousand-kilometer radius of the footy pitch.
Why can’t the South African footy fans use/come up with a song instead? It can’t be THAT hard. Other clubs have done it.
1:40 am
What an opportunity South Africa had to show that it had the class and the facilities to host the world. Talk about opportunity lost. Ban the horn from the match itself – that’s just plain old good manners and consideration – let them blow them in the street all they like before and after. If not, the country can kiss goodbye to ever hosting the Olympics or for that matter any other major sporting event. And all because of an adolescent noise-maker? Everyone I talk to has stopped watching because of it, including me – and I’m a soccer fan from WAY back.
7:57 pm
let them blow there horns, they African nations already doing bad the WC ,if you take away their horns, then what do they got ?
3:45 pm
This is not tradition being represented here. The horn was for tribe leaders to signal one another. Not for a constant annoyance. It is ruining the Awesome World Cup that we all wait for. What a huge dissapointment. They cost ten cents to make and are selling for $20. Its all about the profit.
9:48 pm
Has it not occured to anyone that the broadcasters could quite easily filter this noise out? With condenser microphones and squelch control there is no reason why BBC etc cant sort this issue out.
There’s really no reason to ban them. I’m sure the South Africans think it’s a better sound than our (English) fans collective Sighs, Moans and Boos. At least they aren’t singing offensive/ abusive songs at each other.
So, come on braodcasters, sort it out!
11:12 pm
What an ungodly racket! If that’s what passes for tradition in South Africa, they can keep it! It’s the most irritating thing imaginable and makes watching football for very long impossible.
Go Germany!!!
12:57 am
I agree BAN the annoying horns –they add Nothing to the game !!! Yes and why can’t anyone make a decision any more, Would it be politically incorrect to demand some decorem at the games– I wonder can people light- up here too??
9:55 am
Probably the best reason ever to boycott soccer. Plus, here we have a so-called sport shooting itsel in the ear.
3:51 am
I tried watching the dame today and just cant take the horns….changing the channels will look at CNN website when it is over.
8:48 pm
I’m less than a casual fan but during this World Cup I am not a fan at all. I’ll forget and put it on the game only to remind myself of the most annoying sound on the planet. Imagine if the fans did this during the Super Bowl. It would not be allowed. Soccer isn’t that entertaining anyway but it would be nice to hear an actual crown in the boring 1-0 game.