The Vuvuzela ‘Conspiracy’

South African defender Matthew Booth decided to film his teammates during the recent Confederations Cup competition. (Remember him? He’s the only white guy in the team who fans greet with a loud “Boooottthhh” whenever he touches the ball and who Spanish reporters, looking for black racism decided was booed by the fans.) Booth, who maintains quite an active Youtube channel, regularly films his teammates, and in the video, above, captured them (and their Brazilian coach Joel Santana) singing on camera in the dressing room before their game against Spain in the first round. Check it out. (Here‘s another example.) It also made me wonder again why South African fans don’t leave the vuvuzelas outside the stadium and do some actual singing? That would not sound only better, but would present an actual, not corporate-induced part of football culture in that country, to visiting fans.


BTW, it must have pleased the South Africans organizers that, outside the football, the most controversial topic at the recent Confederations Cup was the vuvuzelas. (If you’ve been under a rock that’s the plastic horns that South African fans blow for the full 90 minutes of any game. The tempo doesn’t change, neither does the tune). Visiting reporters barely remembered to write again about things like training facilities for teams, transport and fan safety, crucial for next year’s World Cup. (By the way, it also turns out the hooker allegations against members of the Egyptian team is now no longer credible.)

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