Vuvuzela: CHAN bans iconic symbol of African football extravaganza

The distinct sound of the vuvuzela will fall silent at venues hosting the African Nations Championship (CHAN) football tournament that kicks off on Saturday after local organisers banned the plastic trumpet.

Vuvuzela is a part of the unique African atmosphere of football tournaments and is used by fans to enliven matches. But fans arriving for CHAN games with the iconic symbol of football fanfare will be denied entry or asked to dispose of them at security checkpoints.

Other prohibited items at the CHAN tournament are drums, whistles, loudspeakers and megaphones.

Local organisers say the decision was aimed at ensuring fan safety in stadiums - the concern here being the possibility of any being thrown onto the pitch or used as a weapon. They also said they want to avoid detracting emotions of the game.

The biannual CHAN competition is being jointly hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania for the first time. The tournament ends on August 30 with the final in Nairobi.

Hallmark in Africa

Vuvuzela, a long plastic horn, that originated in South Africa is a hallmark of African football tournaments. It gained global recognition during the 2010 FIFA World Cup held in South Africa as fans used its sound to stir up passion and create a vibrant atmosphere.

But it has been the subject of concerns, mainly for making it difficult for referees and players to communicate and its loud noise irritating some fans and detracting the overall enjoyment of the game

FIFA banned vuvuzela from all future tournaments after the 2010 World Cup in order to preserve match experience.

UEFA followed suit, arguing that vuvuzela drown out supporters and detract from the emotion of the game. The trumpets are banned from competitions such as the Champions League, Europa League and Euro qualifiers.

English Premier League sides likes Arsenal, Liverpool and West Ham United have also banned the trumpet from their stadiums citing safety concerns.

The CHAN tournament is a dress rehearsal for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the premier national team tournament in the continent.