Argentina rugby fans have again stirred up the Falkland Islands controversy by displaying a banner during their match against South Africa, echoing a similar incident at the recent FIFA World Cup.
Banner displayed during Pumas defeat
The Springboks secured a narrow 17-10 victory over the Pumas in Buenos Aires. During the game, TV cameras caught Argentine fans holding a banner that read 'Las Malvinas Son Argentinas' - 'The Falkland Islands are Argentine' - referencing the long-standing sovereignty dispute over the archipelago, which lies off Argentina's coast but is a British Overseas Territory.
The display comes after Argentina's controversial Nations Championship defeat to England, with tensions still high.
World Cup incident and FIFA action
The same message was displayed by Argentine football fans and players following their semi-final win over England at the World Cup in North America. Players including Giovanni Lo Celso and Lisandro Martinez were seen holding the banner during celebrations.
That incident prompted outrage in the UK and led FIFA to take disciplinary action against Argentina, who finished as runners-up to Spain. In a statement last month, FIFA confirmed it had opened proceedings against the Argentinian Football Association for potential breaches of its disciplinary code, including discriminatory chants, late kick-offs, failure to comply with match protocols, and the display of inappropriate messages.
Political context and recent tensions
The World Cup banner appeared just 24 hours after Argentina's vice-president Victoria Villarruel made incendiary comments on social media about the 1982 Falklands War. She wrote: "Tomorrow we play against the usurping pirates. This isn’t just another match. I’m not going to be politically correct or cold-hearted; against the English, it’s always something more. It’s the Malvinas, it’s Diego, it’s Leo last one, and it’s putting the brakes on the invaders."
Tempers also flared during Argentina's Nations Championship clash with England last month, where seven yellow cards were shown. Pumas fly-half Tomas Albornoz was later banned for four matches for making physical contact with referee Angus Gardner.
