Nothing makes a monotonous soccer game more difficult to watch than several hours of the monotone bleating of vuvuzelas, the plastic horns that drove many World Cup viewers to hit the mute button. Thankfully, the Union of European Football (don’t call it soccer) Associations has decided to ban the noisemakers.

Quoth the UEFA:

European football’s governing body has informed its 53 member associations that it has taken the move for reasons related to Europe’s football culture and tradition, saying that the atmosphere at matches would be changed by the sound of the vuvuzela…

The World Cup was characterized by the vuvuzela’s widespread and permanent use in the stands. In the specific context of South Africa, the vuvuzela adds a touch of local flavor and folklore, but UEFA feels that the instrument’s widespread use would not be appropriate in Europe, where a continuous loud background noise would be emphasized.

The magic of football consists of the two-way exchange of emotions between the pitch and the stands, where the public can transmit a full range of feelings to the players.

However, UEFA is of the view that the vuvuzelas would completely change the atmosphere, drowning supporter emotions and detracting from the experience of the game.

To avoid the risk of these negative effects in the stadiums where UEFA competitions are played and to protect the culture and tradition of football in Europe — singing, chanting etc — UEFA has decided with immediate effect that vuvuzelas will not be allowed in the stadiums where UEFA competitions matches are played.

As we reported a month ago, vuvuzelas have already been silenced at the World Basketball Championships.

Vuvuzelas banned from European soccer competition [Reuters]

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