RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil, May 28 – The “caxirola”, Brazil’s percussion answer to South Africa’s plastic vuvuzela horn, will be banned at next month’s Confederations Cup for security reasons, organizers said Monday.
“Fans will not be allowed in stadiums with musical instruments and that includes the caxirola,” said Medeiros Hilario, the official on the Cup’s Organizing Committee who is in charge of security.
“We will apply this measure during friendly games, then during the Confederations Cup,” which will be held in Brazil from June 15-30, he added.
The ban will become effective from Sunday when Brazil and England clash in a friendly match at Rio’s iconic Maracana stadium.
The decision followed an April 28 incident during which irate fans hurled dozens of caxirolas on the pitch during a match between Bahia and Vitoria.
The caxirola, named the official instrument of the 2014 World Cup which Brazil will also host, was unveiled by President Dilma Rousseff last month.
Made of recycled plastic and designed by Brazilian star musician and songwriter Carlinhos Brown, the caxirola is said to produce a harmonious rattling sound when shaken.
The vuvuzela, a plastic horn based on a traditional South African instrument, makes a loud, raucous buzzing sound and became a symbol of South African football after fans adopted it as an essential accessory at matches.
It shot to worldwide prominence in the 2009 Confederations Cup, and became a major talking point at the World Cup the following year.
The sport’s world governing body FIFA moved to ban the vuvuzela from stadiums after reports that it could cause permanent hearing loss at close range but backtracked and the insistent buzz became the soundtrack to the last World Cup.
