Wimbledon Tennis 2010 bans vuvuzelas

[Rappy Veteran]

The plastic horns that have annoyed soccer fans, players and broadcasters during the World Cup have been banned from the Grand Slam tournament, which starts on Monday at the fabled All England Club.

The tennis club's top executive, Ian Ritchie, issued a statement Thursday saying spectators would not be allowed to bring in any noise-making devices.

"Out of courtesy to the players and their fellow spectators, we make a point of asking spectators not to bring items which could either cause a distraction or interfere with the enjoyment of the occastion," the statement said.

"Rattles, klaxons and vuvuzelas all fall into that category ... Our messsage is do not bring them in the first place," Ritchie declared.

In South Africa, several players have said that the vuvuzela has made communication difficult on the pitch. France's Patrice Evra even blamed the horns' constant noise for his team's poor performance.

FIFA, organizers of the World Cup, considered banning the traditional horn, but ultimately decided not to, saying it would be wrong to interfere with the country's culture.

Several TV stations airing the World Cup have vowed to filter out the droning noise from their broadcasts.

Though they've stamped out the noise issue, that won't eliminate the distraction that the World Cup brings to Wimbledon. Many of the players are fans of their national teams. They'll probably be fielding questions about soccer for the entirety of the two-week tennis tournament.

To put the focus on the grass courts, no World Cup games will be shown on video screens or scoreboards during Wimbledon.

"We fully appreciate that a number of our visitors will be interested in the football World Cup," Ritchie stated. "Equally, however, the tennis is our first priority."

Wimbledon will be avoiding a huge blow to viewership for the men's final. In the past, the tennis match was on the same day as the World Cup final. To the All England Club's relief, this year the World Cup ends on July 11, one week later than Wimbledon.

Source

[.Markus]

Awww was looking forward to a bit more monotonous constant humming noise during the Wimbledons....

Get them banned from the World Cup already, FIFA!! What are you guys waiting for?????

[Fraud OS 11]

Too bad Wimbledon always clashes every 4 years with FIFA World Cup. I'll have to miss some matches.

[sundayx Veteran]

BRBRBRRBRBRBBRBRBRBBRRBRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR- I lol'd.

[Piggy]

No chance of this crap in Tennis or Golf. It makes sense.

[Jimmy0]

No chance of this crap in Tennis or Golf. It makes sense.

(Y)

[kazuyette]

That's a good decision.

[Jonny_ Rockafella]

Best decision they've made in years.

[Chasethebase Veteran]

Lol'd at the GIF.

[mattking]

Damn right. Tennis is after all a REAL sport.

[tiagosilva29]

Tennis is after all a REAL sport.

Yeah, like curling!

[Jonny_ Rockafella]

Yeah, like curling!

:rofl:

[Knife Party]

tennis .... pfft :sleep:

[qdave]

Too bad really :( I call this decision racist and insulting to South African football culture :D

[Doli]

People brought noise makers into Tennis? The only thing I hear grunting back and forth from the players and clapping (and a few people say "Whoaaa") when somone gets points.

[c3ntury]

Naw.. no more funny gif's pictures about it then? xD

[Krpano]

****ing instrument....giving me headaches......

I'll remove the TV sound for the rest of the World Cup.

That's why you don't make a world cup in a third world country.

[Farstrider]

People brought noise makers into Tennis? The only thing I hear grunting back and forth from the players and clapping (and a few people say "Whoaaa") when somone gets points.

Really? They should also ban the women from shrieking as they play every point! The men (One of the worst offenders in his day was Gustavo Kuerten) sound like they about to have a crap on the court!

[Rappy Veteran]

Really? They should also ban the women from shrieking as they play every point! The men (One of the worst offenders in his day was Gustavo Kuerten) sound like they about to have a crap on the court!

Maria Sharapova and her "moan" :p

[qdave]

Maria Sharapova and her "moan" :p

If she moans so much on the court, i wonder how much does she moan in that other place :D

[Singh400]

Tennis was already pretty quiet anyway. And I really couldn't see those annoying trumpets there anway. But I am glad they have come out and banned it straight off.

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

Awesome now I'll watch the ten.... no wait, no.

[leesmithg]

Those horns were around years before South Africa had a world cup.

When England played Pakistan a few years ago, all you could hear was those bloody horns going off during the one day game.

They are irritating, just like bands constantly play the great escape, which should be banned also.

As far as Wimbledon is concerned ban Cliff Richard also.

I only like the French Open, that is a proper tournament followed by Wimbledon.

[kev64]

If she moans so much on the court, i wonder how much does she moan in that other place :D

If only we could find out :whistle:

:laugh:

[+Anarkii Subscriber²]

thank GOD for that, not that i watch the tennis away :p