Japan Drive The Anti-Vuvuzela Bus

November 17th, 2009 | by: chris |

SmallAaronVuvu It would seem this vuvuzela thing is, at the very least, unpopular. As a direct result of its popularity, of course. Xabi Alonso left the Confederations Cup poo-pooing the vuvuzela and its effect on the field of play. The cacophony a bit too intense for such things as hearing the whistles and one’s teammates – not things entirely insignificant.

Japan, the latest team to enjoy some South African soil (in a nil-nil draw), have taken it one step further: they’ve officially requested the South African FA ban the vuvuzela. The South African FA almost assuredly won’t ban something which could conceivably give their team an advantage, but this is the first battle in a war which may overshadow the build-up to South Africa 2010.

The Japanese, much like Xabi, are saying that communication between teammates is impossible with the trumpets raining down.

“We have requested that the South African FA cut that noise out,” Japan Football Association (JFA) president Motoaki Inukai was quoted as saying in Tuesday’s edition of the Sankei Sports newspaper.

“You can’t hear yourself speak. I will be bringing it up (with FIFA president Sepp Blatter),” Inukai added after Japan’s 0-0 draw with South Africa in Port Elizabeth.

Japan defender Tulio said: “You can’t hear what your team mates are saying from two metres away. You have to go up to them to give instructions.”

And while the South African FA likely won’t do anything, not without significant pushing from the political higher ups, there’s a very real chance South Africa will be sans vuvuzela. Remember it was banned at one point for the tournament before FIFA reconsidered, thinking it an integral part of the South African football experience. Which it surely is. The only problem is it’s creating a singularly South African football experience, not a World Cup experience.

And that’s precisely the problem: it’s affecting the football. This has nothing to do with South Africa, Africa or trying to impose one’s football culture on the host. It simply has everything to do with knocking that little white ball around a green pitch. And while FIFA may be many things, they take the football very, very seriously. Some may say Japan is whining, but they won’t be the last and it won’t be long before the noise of the complaints drowns out anything emanating from the trumpets.

International Football News – World Cup Blog RSS Feed

Johnny

Beasley’s gifted ball mistake during the Confed. Cup. somewhat backs these complaints.
sandrahn

People thought this issue was dead, it isn’t. I’m glad the Japanese have brought an official complaint. Anyone claiming this is racist or anti-African is full of CRAP, since the vuvuzela is a recent phenomenon in S. Africa, they’re manufactured in CHINA, ffs! And lots of S. Africans themselves don’t like the either.

The vuvuzelas will MOST DEFINITELY affect the ratings of the tournament and you can bet that TV networks across the globe and the sponsors will not take kindly to that at all. The vuvuzelas will especially affect audiences in countries where football (soccer) is not the most popular sport but where people do watch the world cup (USA, Canada, Australia) because their interest in the sport is only casual and they will not put up with that horrible sound for a whole month. They’ll turn it off and stop watching.

Millions of people will simply NOT watch the tournament.

It’s an incredibly destructive decision not to ban these things because here you have the first African wc and you won’t be able to hear the crowd’s wonderfully raucious and musical drums, singing, chanting, cheering. It’ll all be drowned out by those miserable, disgusting plastic horns that destroy the entire experience.

You think Africa will ever be chosen again for a wc? It would be unfair, since the vuvuzelas are not a continent-wide instrument, but that’s what will happen.

Players and managers can’t communicate with each other, you can’t hear the crowd reacting to goals or fouls or penalties, etc. You can’t hear the ref’s whistle. I’m expecting a disastrous TV audience turnout for this tournament directly as a result of this piece of worthless crap assaulting everyone’s ears.

Africa is the home of beautiful musical rhythms — this is a MAJOR moment for Africa where the entire world will be watching and paying close attention to the continent for a whole month.

And that horrible plastic whine is the best sound that Africa can provide the world at such a moment???? How can anyone defend such deafening, horrible crap???
Rick

It’s a world cup not a south african cup. It’s not south african culture either, vuvuzelas weren’t around 10 years ago.

To me, if i compare soccer tv to rugby, being able to hear the players shout, the referees comments, the crowd being dead quiet in a tense moment and to feel the atmosphere, instead of a monotonous drone that does not make our players perform at their best.
http://www.barnsley.theoffside.com Oli

Following the Confeds. Cup, and several other games I’ve watched played in SA, I’ve more than had enough of the vuveleza. It’s indescribably annoyings. It’s not a statement of African culture, its uselss noise.
http://www.africaplays.com Orufuo

who wins the big game tomorrow between Egypt and Algeria? vote or talk some more on http://www.africaplays.com
Mark

Millions of people may simply NOT watch the tournament.

Good….if a few horns stop them from watching, they aren’t true soccer fans anyway. I don’t care.
FBL

So what would people prefer? Quiet European type spectators as seen in the Premier League?

I quite like the vuvuzela, it is an African World Cup, why should South Africa wait for this long, only to be told how to host the event, then they may as well switch it to England or Germany again.

Japan and Spain must concentrate on their football, not noise, why didn’t Dunga complain? He simply said it is the way things are done in South Africa and they will just get on with it. He knows because they will have drums in 2014.

Whoever doesn’t want to watch shouldn’t, simple as that, many people will watch, embrace other football cultures people.
michael

FBL, in this case, it is the overbearing sound and buzzing of the vuzuvela that is negatively affecting the level of play. This has nothing to do with taking away from the African World Cup. There are plenty of reasons why I believe the banning of the vuzuvela will positively affect the experience of all who participate/watch the tournament. For starters, lets look at the economic impact of the world cup. The world cup, no matter the location, provides a huge boost in economic growth. The amount of jobs created and labor that is put into infrastructure just in the years leading to the world cup amount to significant levels. Now, If the inclusion of the vuzuvela’s is going to hinder people from watching the game, you are losing viewers and money. I understand the “importance” of the vuzuvela as a representation of the festivities taking place in Africa, but that does not mean that they need to be present for 90 minutes during matches. The experience lasts more than a month with plenty of time for one to buzz all they want through the streets celebrating. Complaints are complaints.

The decision to ban the vuzuvela from games does not take away anything from the game itself. On the contrary, the argument is that the inclusion is negatively affecting the game.

My vote is for banning the buzz.
Seth

South African FA are morons. Seriously, just ban the damn thing. It seems like the whole world is against it, yet they’re acting like stubborn twats and causing all this unnecessary drama.

I’ll be going to SA for the WC and if someone blows a vuvuzela near me constantly I’ll probably attack them. Just an advance warning, SA!
LVK

Really now Seth. So tell me which stadiums will you be going to? Or and do yourself a favour, don’t go to bloemfontein!
http://www.banvuvuzela.com/ Rick

It does seem like the whole world is against the vuvuzela, that’s why we need to make our voices heard while there is still time to make the world’s biggest sporting event a huge “African” success. Most of the world have never taken notice of south africa as a soccer destination that’s why most people just assume it will be fine because they don’t know about this poo poo trumpet that will invade their sporting pleasure.
Richard

I can’t stand the things – they’re part of the reason why I haven’t tried too hard to get tickets. A few toots are fine but not constant overwhelming noise, which they are.

However, you might not want to attack anybody, Seth :) I actually quite look forward to seeing what football hooligans get up to here. Maybe not all will make it home.
Adam

It’s only manufactured culture. If it affects communication on the pitch, or worse, ability to hear whistles, it should be banned.
Ratel

Seth quick warning

Try that and you will be going home one of two ways
1 battered and bruised
2 in a body bag
Africa is not for sissies