More than 140 years after it made its debut, in English soccer, the whistle is the most recognizable sound in sports. From soccer fields and football stadiums to basketball arenas and wrestling mats, from youth sports to the pros and from one continent to the next, the whistle is the thread that winds its way through global sports. In the symphony of sport, the whistle is the soprano: crisp, distinct and capable of leaving one’s ears ringing. But in the age of coronavirus, the whistle may face an existential challenge, or, at the very least, a serious rethinking. To use almost any whistle requires a deep breath and then a forced burst of droplet-filled air — things that, during a pandemic, deeply concern medical experts.

Source: New York Times June 26, 2020 13:41 UTC