At least six leading clubs in the English Premier League have banned the vuvuzela from their grounds in the coming football season. Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, Birmingham, Everton, Fulham and West Ham have all said that the plastic horns, which became notorious for their loud droning sound during the World Cup in South Africa, will not be allowed inside their stadiums. Tottenham said on its official website: "We are concerned that the presence of the instruments within the stadium pose unnecessary risks and could impact on the ability of all supporters to hear any emergency safety announcements."
Their North London neighbours, Arsenal, said the club wanted to "ensure the enjoyment and safety" of fans, while at Birmingham the club said: "An overwhelming majority of Blues supporters said they didn't want vuvuzelas to be allowed at St Andrews". Everton said in a statement: "It isn't a case of us being killjoys, it is simply a measure which is designed to safeguard our reputation with the game's governing bodies. We have, in the past, had problems with people throwing objects onto the pitch and the Football Association has made it perfectly clear that we do face the possibility of sanctions should there be any repeat offence. "In the wake of the World Cup in South Africa we have received many emails from our supporters asking that we ban vuvuzelas on the grounds that they are simply irritating - but none urging us to permit their use at first-team fixtures."
Vuvuzelas were banned at the Wimbledon tennis championships, and also at Henley Royal Regatta. However, the England and Wales Cricket Board has said that each Test venue would be able to decide its policy on which items could be admitted. In the UAE, the General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowments has decreed that, above 100 decibel levels, the vuvuzela is haram. However, an Abu Dhabi businessman, Dhia el Din, has ordered more than 10,000 of the horns for sale in the country. online@thenational.ae
