Monday, June 14, 2010

World Cup Fans Risk Hearing Loss

World Cup organizers are getting complaints about the horns used during games by South African fans. The trumpet-shaped "vuvuzela" is a cheap plastic noise-maker that makes a loud sound comparable to a huge swarm of bees. They are loud enough to be heard on the television broadcast of the games. Some teams say the toys are affecting play on the field and they can be loud enough to cause hearing loss. The vuvuzelas can emit an ear piercing noise of 127 decibels which is louder than a lawnmower at 90 decibels or a chainsaw at 100 decibels, according to the Royal National Institute for Deaf People. So far, FIFA officials say the horns will not be banned.