SAO PAULO (AP):

In the latest embarrassment to Brazilian organisers, the official instrument of the 2014 World Cup has been banned from the Confederations Cup because of safety concerns.

Brazil's Justice Minister Jose Eduardo Cardozo said yesterday that the maraca-like instrument is "not adequate" to be used during the warm-up tournament.

The Brazilian version of the vuvuzela, which had been approved by FIFA, made headlines for the wrong reasons last month after fans upset about their team's loss in a test event threw the green-and-yellow objects on to the pitch, putting players in danger and briefly interrupting the match.

The announcement of the ban comes just a day after a court order temporarily suspended the Brazil vs England friendly scheduled tomorrow at the new Maracana, saying the venue was not safe for fans. The decision was later reversed after the Rio de Janeiro state government appealed.

The hand-sized caxirola, which costs about $15, produces a continuous rattling sound that is softer than the one produced by the much-criticised vuvuzelas at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Created by Brazilian artist Carlinhos Brown, the caxirola was presented earlier this year and was recognised by the Brazilian government and FIFA as the official fan instrument of the World Cup.

But after fans hurled the green-and-yellow objects on to the pitch at the Arena Fonte Nova in Salvador, local police banned the instrument from some stadiums, and FIFA and the local organising committee said they would re-evaluate the authorisation granted to the caxirola as an approved item during the Confederations Cup.