Noise and sports events

Abstract

I read the recent article on sound exposure during football matches in the SAMJ with great interest. Swanepoel et al. concluded that ‘exposure levels exceeded limits of permissible average and peak sound’ and ‘Public awareness and personal hearing protection should be prioritised as preventive measures’. It is interesting that sound from sports competitions could be an important forgotten noise. Indeed, sport-noise-induced deafness has been proposed for years. The control of noise from competitions (e.g. control of audiovisual facilities) might be required; this could be more appropriate than having the spectators use protective devices.