One thing has irritated me more than anything else so far at this World Cup.
Not that I didn’t get to go as Ukraine missed out. Not that England drew with the U.S. Not even that Germany looked outstanding in their first game, and a good bet to go further than the Three Lions.
No, it’s the vuvuzela. If you don’t know what one of these is yet, you haven’t had the volume turned up on your TV during a match. The sound of the horn blown constantly by fans during the match has been compared to wailing goats, a swarm of bees or noisy elephants stampeding.
A study by the Hear the World foundation has revealed that these noise-makers are not only annoying, but can damage hearing. According to the study, the vuvuzela emits sound at 127 decibels, compared with a chainsaw at 100 decibels and an airhorn at 123.6 decibels.
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Media reports from South Africa say ear plugs called “Vuvu-Stop” are selling out rapidly. Forums are filled with tips on how to fiddle with your TV’s settings to minimize the sound.
Players have also complained that the noise is putting them off their game. France captain Patrice Evra blamed the distraction for his team’s disappointing 0-0 draw with Uruguay, and world player of the year Lionel Messi said it makes communication on the pitch difficult.
But FIFA officials have remained unmoved. Sepp Blatter, president of FIFA, says the sound is here to stay.
“To answer all your messages re the Vuvuzelas. I have always said that Africa has a different rhythm, a different sound,” tweeted Blatter, adding: “I don’t see banning the music traditions of fans in their own country. Would you want to see a ban on the fan traditions in your country?”
“Vuvuzelas are here to stay and will never be banned. It’s part of our culture, so embrace it,” said Rich Mkhondo, spokesman for the local organizing committee.
Not sure what that says about South African culture. Nor that I’d call it music.
FIFA is clearly keen to avoid the accusation that it is forcing European cultural ideas on Africa, which wouldn’t sit well given the continent’s colonial past.
But “cultural tradition” is a classic from the scraping-the-barrel school of argumentation, especially when the “tradition” dates from the 1990s.
Smokers used the same argument when protesting against the ban on smoking in public in the UK.
”We’ve always smoked in pubs! It’s our right to choose whether to smoke!” But I think one man’s right to blow his horn (or smoke) is outweighed by the rights of several others around him not to have his hearing (lungs) endangered and/or match (pub) experience ruined.
The message is simple: “Come to our home, but don’t complain when we blow a loud horn in your ear all the time you’re here.”
And it shouldn’t be forgotten that “cultural traditions” tend to have a company behind them making millions.
What do you think?
The vuvuzela is louder than a chainsaw
