Talk:Vuvuzela/Dumping ground

Origin
Plastic trumpets similar to the South African vuvuzelas became popular as early as 1978 in Argentina, during the FIFA World Cup that took place there that year.

In 2001, South Africa-based company Masincedane Sport began to mass-produce a plastic version. Masincedane Sport holds the trademark on the vuvuzela name.

The Nazareth Baptist Church claimed the vuvuzela belonged to their church and threatened legal action to cease the vuvuzelas from being played during the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

2009 FIFA Confederations Cup
After the Cup, FIFA received complaints from multiple European broadcasters who wanted it banned for the 2010 FIFA World Cup because the sound drowned out the voices of the commentators. Despite the complaints, FIFA permitted the instrument for use at the 2010 World Cup, albeit only instruments shorter than one metre in length.

Health
Vuvuzelas have been controversial.

Annoyance
Vuvuzelas have also been blamed for drowning the sound and atmosphere of football games. Commentators have described the sound as "annoying" and "satanic" and compared it with "a stampede of noisy elephants", an elephant passing wind, "a deafening swarm of locusts", "a goat on the way to slaughter", "a giant hive full of very angry bees", and "a cow being given a surprise enema".

"and vuvuzelas are blamed for drowning the sound and atmosphere of football games."

Response
Some commentators have defended the vuvuzela as being an integral and unique part of South African soccer culture and say it adds to the atmosphere of the game. The Daily Telegraph's chief sports reporter Paul Kelso described critics of the vuvuzela as "killjoys" and said they should "stop moaning".

In response to criticism of the horn's use, President of FIFA Sepp Blatter commented, "I have always said that Africa has a different rhythm, a different sound. 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?"

On June 19, 2010 at a Major League Baseball game between the Tampa Bay Rays and Florida Marlins at Sun Life Stadium in Miami, Florida, the first 15,000 fans were given miniature vuvuzelas as part of a promotion.

Safety
Vuvuzelas can pose a safety risk when spectators cannot hear evacuation announcements.

Removed references

 * http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/10312794.stm
 * http://www.fin24.com/Companies/SAB-moves-to-protect-vuvuzela-20040519
 * http://www.chrisrawlinson.com/2010/06/hyundai-cape-town-giant-vuvuzela/
 * http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5j3vbSMaqg_pgOuWHjwPOeqNKXA0Q
 * http://news.iafrica.com/sa/2472502.htm Vuvuzela scare animals.