On Channel 7 this week, you could hear the dulcet tones of Basil Zempilas and Ian Thorpe’s expert analysis of the swimming competition in Tokyo as well as those stupid horns that wouldn’t stop up.
Unpleasant noises are being transmitted into homes throughout the world, much way the vuvuzela was during the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
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That Being the Case, What’s the Source?
Media from around the world are seated in one grandstand of the Tokyo Aquatics Centre, while athletes who have come to support their countrymen and women are seated in the stands across the pool. This is because fans are not allowed to attend these games because of Covid-19.
As far as we can tell, it’s not journalists blowing their own horns that are making Tokyo’s most obnoxious sound.
It’s not uncommon for players who are rooting for one another to get their hands on horns and toot them a little loudly.
To be honest, we thought the vuvuzela was kind of funny when it first appeared, but by the time the World Cup ended 11 years ago, we begged for them to be banned forever. Tokyo’s horns are also going in the same direction.
Different Countries a New View Point
Each country’s fan base has its own section of the Aquatics Centre. Detecting the criminals was difficult because the bays were always shifting, giving different countries a new view point each day, but they were eventually apprehended while raising their fisted fists in surrender.
As soon as the Dutch swimmer was announced onto the blocks, the horns blared in
Russian – or ROC
as they are known at these Games, for reasons you can read here.
In the women’s 100m freestyle final on Friday, the loudness thankfully didn’t disturb Emma McKeon or Cate Campbell, who won gold and bronze, respectively.
There was no malice intended toward any of the nations represented on Friday, including Australia and the USA, which were represented by yells of “Aussie! Aussie! Aussie,” and “USA! USA,” as their swimmers made it to the podium.
Signs instructing concertgoers in Tokyo not to “clap, sing, or chant” in order to limit the spread of coronavirus confront those who are given entry into venues. After being followed for exactly seven minutes after the Games began, this order was promptly tossed out and never followed again.
For now, we’d rather sing and yell along to Meatloaf — the one from the 2022 AFL Grand Final – than listen to the horn-happy athletes at the pool for another second.
