June 4 (Reuters) – Soccer fans looking to bring the party to World Cup games will have to go without vuvuzelas, with FIFA banning the plastic horns from venues in the U.S., Canada and Mexico in its stadium code of conduct.
Vuvuzelas, a horn made with a long plastic shell, are a staple of South African soccer matches and took the world by storm at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. But they have drawn criticism over their monotonous droning sound, often likened to a swarm of bees.
Along with vuvuzelas, whistles, air horns and other excessively loud noise-making devices are prohibited from all 16 World Cup venues, according to FIFA’s stadium code of conduct.
Instruments that emit laser beams, laser pointers or similar emissions are also banned.
The list of prohibited items and behaviors goes on to state that body paint and body tattoos do not constitute as clothing. Streaking, flashing or removing clothing to reveal intimate body parts is also prohibited.
FIFA has also banned spectators from bringing reusable water bottles into venues, citing safety concerns.
Attendees who violate the rules can be refused entry or removed from the stadium, the code says.
The expanded 48-team World Cup, hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico, runs from June 11 to July 19. Mexico will open the tournament against South Africa on June 11.
(Reporting by Nicole Fernandes in Toronto, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
