Wimbledon Preemptively Bans World Cup’s Notorious Vuvuzelas From All England Club

It probably went without saying, but Wimbledon organizers felt the need to make this clear: vuvuzelas will not be permitted on the All England Club grounds over the tournament’s fortnight. In a statement, Wimbledon said the noisemakers, which have earned much publicity throughout the World Cup, could be “very distracting to the players and spectators.” Obviously.

And thus begins the preemptive banning of vuvuzelas, lest they succeed in their international takeover. When reached for comment, vuvuzelas had the following reply to Wimbledon’s ban:

Sad emoticon, indeed.