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 Why
vuvuzelas may be silenced for good
By: Asante Kotoko Newsreel
22nd October 2010
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Already barred and vilified in some quarters worldwide,
the vuvuzela could soon find itself out of domestic league
stadiums if fans continue to use it as a missile, the Premier
Soccer League warned on Thursday.
League prosecutor Zola Majavu says the time has come to “open
the debate” over the viability of allowing fans to carry the
controversial instrument into match grounds, when a few would
hurl it on to the pitch to display their anger at match
officials.
Majavu was speaking at the league’s Parktown offices on Thursday
where Kaizer Chiefs owner Kaizer Motaung was compelled to
apologise for the behaviour of some of his club’s fans during
last month’s MTN8 defeat to Orlando Pirates.
Chiefs were slapped with a suspended R500000 fine after a
section of their fans threw two vuvuzelas and bizarrely, a
cabbage, on to the Soccer City field after a referee’s decision
had gone against their team.
Should Amakhosi lose to AmaZulu in the Telkom Knockout on
Saturday, and some angry fan throws a vuvuzela on to the pitch,
the suspended fine would kick in.
“In every incident which I’ve prosecuted relating to spectator
misbehaviour, the vuvuzela has always been among the missiles
thrown,” Majavu said. “We now have to open the debate about
whether it should continue to be at our stadiums if fans use it
as a missile.”
Motaung also seemed to back Majavu’s call, saying the vuvuzela
could be used to smuggle sharp objects into the stadium.
“I have never been a fan of the vuvuzela because it just makes
noise and adds nothing to the game. I prefer singing at the
stadium, as the fans of Bloemfontein Celtic do. But because it
is widely liked here I don’t have a problem with it. However, it
can be used to bring weapons like knives into the stadium. So we
have to reconsider its purpose going forward.”
While he promised to continue hauling clubs before the PSL
disciplinary committee based on the misbehaviour of fans, Majavu
cautioned individuals would now be prosecuted as well.
“You can’t have a situation where only the club is punished.
Just with this case involving Chiefs, we are going to identify
individuals based on video evidence and prosecute them. There’s
merit to the argument that an individual might wear Chiefs
colours and throw missiles on to the pitch, but that person
might not necessarily be a Chiefs fan.”
In the last few years, Majavu has called Amakhosi to appear
before his DC eight times, with the club having to pay costs
amounting to R1,6-million. Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns have
appeared five and six times respectively.
“In total these three clubs have paid R4-million in fines, but
we still see incidents of misbehaviour.
“This shows fining a club is not a sufficient deterrent.
“I’m sick and tired of clubs being solely held responsible for
the behaviour of spectators.”
Majavu conceded the PSL rules do not forbid fans from bringing
bread and cabbage into the stadium, but these have often – as
seen in the Chiefs’ case – been used as missiles.
“If we have to revisit our rules on these items, so be it,”
Majavu said.
Introduced into domestic football a decade ago, the vuvuzela
proved a popular instrument during the World Cup in June, but
Fifa did warn fans they would consider banning it from games if
it was used as a missile.
The loud plastic trumpet is banned at several tournaments around
the world, including the Uefa Champions League and the Euro
championship qualifiers. - The Star
Your Comments
Eric Asare Opare(Fiifi) Mamfe-Akuapem.
I believe that if the South Americans takes delight in their
Mexican wave then, I think Africans and for that matter Ghana
should embrace the Vuvuzela since it adds some uniqueness to our
football in Africa.
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