World Cup Clamor: Should Vuvuzelas Be Banned?
FIFA has defended South African fans' right to blow their vuvuzela horns at World Cup matches despite global criticism from television viewers of the constant blaring noise.
"I have always said that Africa has a different rhythm, a different sound," the FIFA president Sepp Blatter said in a Twitter message on Monday. "I don't see banning the music traditions of fans in their own country."
Blatter went on to ask: "Would you want to see a ban on the fan traditions in your country?"
CBSNews.com Special Section: 2010 World Cup
FIFA and Blatter have strongly backed the use of vuvuzelas since they were introduced to the wider football world at the Confederations Cup test event in South Africa exactly a year ago.
Broadcasters objected then to the noise emitted by the slender plastic horns - comparing it to the sound of a swarm of bees invading the stadium.
Some fans have reported watching World Cup matches with their television muted to escape the racket.
The noise can also affect players' ability to perform on the field.
"In many parts of the game it can bother you a bit because you can't communicate anything to a teammate who's more than 10 meters away from you," Spain striker David Villa, who played at the Confederations Cup, said.
However, Villa also said the noise "brings a nice ambiance and some emotion."
Organizing committee spokesman Rich Mkhondo said television viewers aren't the same as fans in the seats.
"I wouldn't dwell too much on what outsiders think about vuvuzelas. I would dwell ... on what the feelings of the spectators are," he said at the daily news briefing.
Responding to a typical stream of vuvuzela questions, Mkhondo said the horns are ingrained in South Africa's history.
"You find that they emanate from the horn which was used by our forefathers to call meetings," he said. "As our guests, please embrace our culture, please embrace the way we celebrate.
"You either love them or you hate them. We in South Africa love them."
Mkhondo said the vuvuzela was now an international instrument, and visitors were "stuffing them into their suitcase" for the trip home.
England defender Jamie Carragher said he's been asked to bring some back.
"My kids have been on the phone and they want two," Carragher said.
Meanwhile, ESPN is altering the sound mix on its broadcasts to minimize the crowd noise, network spokesman Bill Hofheimer said. The network has accepted it as part of the atmosphere and has made no complaints about the vuvuzelas, he said.
The sound is driving at least one sports writer crazy, though.
"The constant drone of cheap and tuneless plastic horns is killing the atmosphere of the World Cup," wrote John Leicester, an international sports columnist for the Associated Press. He wrote that it is drowning out the oohs, aahs and cheers that lend excitement to the matches.
CBS/AP "I have always said that Africa has a different rhythm, a different sound," the FIFA president Sepp Blatter said in a Twitter message on Monday. "I don't see banning the music traditions of fans in their own country."
Blatter went on to ask: "Would you want to see a ban on the fan traditions in your country?"
CBSNews.com Special Section: 2010 World Cup
FIFA and Blatter have strongly backed the use of vuvuzelas since they were introduced to the wider football world at the Confederations Cup test event in South Africa exactly a year ago.
Broadcasters objected then to the noise emitted by the slender plastic horns - comparing it to the sound of a swarm of bees invading the stadium.
Some fans have reported watching World Cup matches with their television muted to escape the racket.
The noise can also affect players' ability to perform on the field.
"In many parts of the game it can bother you a bit because you can't communicate anything to a teammate who's more than 10 meters away from you," Spain striker David Villa, who played at the Confederations Cup, said.
However, Villa also said the noise "brings a nice ambiance and some emotion."
Organizing committee spokesman Rich Mkhondo said television viewers aren't the same as fans in the seats.
"I wouldn't dwell too much on what outsiders think about vuvuzelas. I would dwell ... on what the feelings of the spectators are," he said at the daily news briefing.
Responding to a typical stream of vuvuzela questions, Mkhondo said the horns are ingrained in South Africa's history.
"You find that they emanate from the horn which was used by our forefathers to call meetings," he said. "As our guests, please embrace our culture, please embrace the way we celebrate.
"You either love them or you hate them. We in South Africa love them."
Mkhondo said the vuvuzela was now an international instrument, and visitors were "stuffing them into their suitcase" for the trip home.
England defender Jamie Carragher said he's been asked to bring some back.
"My kids have been on the phone and they want two," Carragher said.
Meanwhile, ESPN is altering the sound mix on its broadcasts to minimize the crowd noise, network spokesman Bill Hofheimer said. The network has accepted it as part of the atmosphere and has made no complaints about the vuvuzelas, he said.
The sound is driving at least one sports writer crazy, though.
"The constant drone of cheap and tuneless plastic horns is killing the atmosphere of the World Cup," wrote John Leicester, an international sports columnist for the Associated Press. He wrote that it is drowning out the oohs, aahs and cheers that lend excitement to the matches.
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I guess the thing you can take away from this story is that no matter where blacks live they love to blare noise and upset everyone around them without any concern for anyone else. Same reason I moved to the country to get away from the non-stop BOOM BOOM BOOM that the African-Americans seem so fond of in their cars. I guess they would be riding around blowing these horns like their ancestors if they didn't have the car stereos. You can take the African out of the country but you can't take the disruption out of the African apparently.
I GUESS THE THING YOU CAN TAKE AWAY FROM THIS PERSON IS THAT NO MATTER WHERE HE WILL GO, HE WILL ALWAYS BE WHITE TRASH, TALKING MORE ABOUT OTHER RACE'S CHOICE IN MUSIC THAN ABOUT HIS OWN ADVANCEMENT IN HIS OWN LIFE. BECAUSE IF HE WERE HAPPY AND SMART, HE WOULD NOT MAKE COMMENTS ABOUT AN ENTIRE RACE THAT ARE CLEARLY NOT TRUE ABOUT THAT ENTIRE RACE. IT IS THESE SAME PEOPLE WHO CAN'T STAND TO HEAR THE SAME GENERALIZATIONS ABOUT THEIR RACE. LIKE YOU CAN TAKE A REDNECK OUT OF THE TRAILER BUT YOU CAN'T TAKE THE TRAILER HATE, FARTING, UNEDUCATED, ACID ROCK BLARING, FALL ON THE FLOOR DRUNKEN, PILL-POPPING, HATE MONGERING, MISERY LOVES COMPANY PERSONALITY OUT OF THE REDNECK.
And by the way, they are not out of their country, we are in their country for this tournament. Get your facts straight before you run off half cocked all to ready to try to slam someone. You end up slamming yourself. Probably too dumb to even realize that!
What is cranberry hill is a Vuvuzela?
These are called plastic horns, Wham-O made millions of them back in the 60's. They are not "Vuvuzelas"!!!
Why do the African people insist on hijacking our white elitist culture, and pretend that it is there own?
I guess the thing you can take away from this story is that no matter where blacks live they love to blare noise and upset everyone around them without any concern for anyone else. Same reason I moved to the country to get away from the non-stop BOOM BOOM BOOM that the African-Americans seem so fond of in their cars. I guess they would be riding around blowing these horns like their ancestors if they didn't have the car stereos. You can take the African out of the country but you can't take the disruption out of the African apparently.
Here I was thinking soccer couldn't suck any more than it already does and the Africans prove me wrong HA!
Do you think that they do that on purpose to keep away visitors to the games?