John Helm: Bring the ear plugs for football festival
EVER heard of a vuvuzela? Or a makaraba?
I’ll guarantee you’ll hear plenty of them round about this time next year especially the vuvus.
They’re the long horns favoured by South African football fans and boy do they make a din!
The constant drone generated by fans blowing themselves to exhaustion throughout 90 minutes of a match has been a major talking point during the Confederations Cup, and even prompted calls for them to be banned at next year’s World Cup finals.
The cameramen I’m working with would vote for that. After every match they leave stadiums, their heads ringing with the battering their ear drums have taken while working close to the pitch.
The incessant noise is so intense they can’t even hear the director or commentator through their headphones.
Personally I think a ban would be a shame and take something away from the flavour of this vibrant continent.
