Players from Argentine club Tigre displayed a flag relating to the Falkland Islands after a continental cup tie on Tuesday night in scenes reminiscent of those that followed the country’s World Cup semi-final win over England.
The incident came after Tigre’s 3-0 victory at Uruguayan side Nacional in the Copa Sudamericana play-offs. Visiting fans also sung the well-worn chant “who doesn’t jump is an Englishman”.
The Tigre players held up a flag that read: “Las Malvinas son Argentinas (The Falklands are Argentine).” The wording was the same as that displayed by Argentina’s players after they beat the Three Lions 2-1 in Atlanta last week
Britain and Argentina went to war over the Falklands in 1982, with the 74-day conflict resulting in the deaths of 649 Argentine soldiers, 255 British combatants and three civilians. The Falklands remain a British controlled territory, though Argentina insists the archipelago in the South Atlantic is its possession.
FIFA to investigate Argentina’s banner
FIFA is investigating the conduct of the national side and it remains to be seen if CONMEBOL, who operates the Copa Sudamericana, follows suit.
Tigre’s actions are unlikely to please the Falkland Islands Government, who last week said: “The Falkland Islands Government is disappointed – though regrettably not surprised – that the Argentine football team decided to tarnish the result of last night’s World Cup football semi-final – a game that did not in any case involve the Falkland Islands.
“That said, it is hardly news to anyone that the people of the Islands were victims of an aggressive invasion in 1982 which left many traumatised. The banner displayed by Argentina last night, therefore, was particularly insensitive for many people in the Falklands.
“It is the avowed policy of the Falkland Islands Government that we do not wish to see politics being brought into sport. Nor do we wish the Islands and their people to be used as a political football in every conversation about England and Argentina.”
Among the Argentina players holding up the Malvinas flag in the United States last week were Lisandro Martinez and Cristian Romero, who play for Manchester United and Tottenham respectively.
