There are numerous fight songs bellowed for 90 straight minutes. Memorabilia can be set aflame, and there is absolutely, positively no sitting and calmly watching the game. It’s a bit intense in comparison to the United States’ relatively tame demonstrations of athletic allegiance.
But if there’s one thing Americans and the more well-seasoned soccer fans can all agree on, it’s this: Get rid of those obnoxious vuvuzelas. Well, Danny Jordaan, the World Cup’s organizing chief, may actually listen — that is, if he can hear over the noisemaking horns, which sound like a million angry hornets.
“We’ve tried to get some order,” Jordaan told the BBC. “We have asked for no vuvuzelas during national anthems or stadium announcements. It’s difficult, but we’re trying to manage the best we can. We’ve had some broadcasters and individuals [complaining], and it’s something we are evaluating on an ongoing basis.”
One such complainer is French captain Patrice Evra, who blamed the constant buzzing of the vuvuzelas to France’s disappointing performance against Uruguay. Les Bleus tied Uruguay 0-0 on Friday
“We can’t sleep at night because of the vuvuzelas,” Evra said. “People start playing them from 6 a.m. We can’t hear one another out on the pitch because of them.”
The vuvuzelas may not be affecting only France’s chances in South Africa. Ghana’s Prince Tagoe was given a yellow card for playing after the whistle in the 88th minute of Sunday’s win over Serbia, and announcers postulated that the forward couldn’t hear the referee because of the sound of thousands of vuvuzelas.
Understandably, few are eager to dampen the impressive spirit that South Africans have shown for their first-ever World Cup. As some have argued, it’s their tournament, so they should cheer and celebrate as they see fit.
Even Jordaan admitted, however, that he could do without the buzzing horns.
“I would prefer singing,” he said. “It’s always been a great generator of a wonderful atmosphere in stadiums, and I would try to encourage them to sing.”
As spectators in South Africa and the millions of viewers muting their televisions across the globe can agree, they would take song, fire — anything — if it means making the buzzing stop.
Should vuvuzelas be banned from the 2010 World Cup?Market Research
