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London Olympics may ban vuvuzelas and curb mobile use

  • Published
South African fans blow Vuvuzelas
Image caption,

Vuvuzelas became a fixture in the 2010 Football World Cup

London's Olympics may be denied the sound of the vuvuzela's buzzing undertone as Games organisers plan to ban or restrict items entering venues.

Conditions on tickets, which went on sale this week, aim to curb the use or entry of items like horns, drums and mobiles as they may disturb athletes.

The list, a part of safety measures, includes umbrellas and picnic hampers.

Games organisers say "final terms and conditions will be made clear to ticketholders" when tickets are issued.

The plastic horns became a fixture of the 2010 Football World Cup in South Africa and vuvuzelas were sold at venues and blown at all of the matches and events.

The horn, made famous by football fans, found its way into the Oxford Dictionary of English, but is not allowed in several football stadiums and music events in the UK.

Musical instruments, liquids in excess of 100ml, camera tripods, flags of non-participating countries also figure in the list. The use of mobile phones in certain events could also be restricted.

The organisers also plan to ban "objects bearing trademarks or other kinds of promotional signs or messages (such as hats, T-shirts, bags, etc) which Locog (the London 2012 organisers) believes are for promotional purposes", the terms say.

But Games organisers said the list was a "base case" set of terms.

A Locog spokesman said: "In many cases, decisions have not been made on what will or will not be allowed into venues.

"When tickets are issued the final terms and conditions will be made clear to ticketholders."

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