FIFA rejected calls to ban the noisy vuvuzela, a plastic trumpet, from the 2010 World Cup. The instrument's incessant drone drew protests at last month's Confederations Cup in South Africa, with broadcasters complaining it was drowning out their commentary and some players saying they could not communicate over it.
"That would mean one would have to take away the cow bells from Swiss fans and ban English fans from singing," Hans Klaus, director of communications at world soccer's governing body, told reporters on Friday. "We approach this in a relaxed manner. I am convinced the vuvuzelas will be a hit at the World Cup. It will be a World Cup with African sound."