| Until this year, few people have ever associated | | | | those bees can be somewhat distracting. Hence the |
| sports with musical instruments. You've probably never | | | | controversy. |
| thought of basketball every time you've heard a | | | | Some fans and commentators feel that the horns |
| theremin, or thought of rugby whenever you hear the | | | | shouldn't be allowed at professional games. FIFA has |
| sound of a harpsichord. But ever since the 2009 | | | | given vuvuzelas their approval over the protests of |
| Confederations Cup, soccer has been associated with | | | | some European and South American fans, players |
| a traditional South African horn. | | | | and broadcasters. Those folks think the vuvuzela is |
| This soccer horn - better known as the vuvuzela - is | | | | little more than a party noisemaker. |
| currently one of the biggest trends in soccer fandom. | | | | In Austria, soccer officials have banned the horns -- |
| Initially it was made of tin -- back when it was known | | | | against FIFA wishes. Claiming fans can use vuvuzelas |
| simply as a traditional instrument among native South | | | | as missiles to heave at players or other fans, stadium |
| Africans. But these days the vuvuzela is usually made | | | | bosses no longer allow them. Other detractors claim |
| of plastic. It was first used as a soccer-related | | | | the noise is just too jarring for everyone. |
| noisemaker by fans of rival teams the Orlando Pirates | | | | But supporters of the vuvuzela claim the horn is a |
| and Kaiser Chiefs. When the South African national | | | | colorful and important aspect of South African culture, |
| team made it to the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, | | | | and banning it would be no more fair than banning |
| their fans brough vuvuzelas to the game... where they | | | | chanting at English games, or cow bells at Swiss |
| immediately caused a controversy. | | | | games. |
| What you may have guessed is that the vuvuzela is | | | | Because of FIFA's approval, the vuvuzela will be |
| ridiculously loud. And when half the stadium has one, it | | | | allowed at coming World Cup games. And as soccer |
| sounds like nothing more than a swarm of giant mutant | | | | grows in popularity worldwide, it's unlikely the horns will |
| bees terrorizing the game. If you're a player, trying to | | | | disappear from games forever. |
| concentrate on stealing a ball or defending a goal net, | | | | |