Following their World Cup semi-final victory over England, Argentina players displayed a political banner stating, “Las Malvinas Son Argentinas” (“The Falklands are Argentinian”). This action occurred after Argentina secured a 2-1 win against Thomas Tuchel’s side in Atlanta, booking their place in the final against Spain.
The display of the banner could lead to a fine from FIFA, as the organisation’s Stadium Code of Conduct prohibits “banners, flags, flyers, apparel and other paraphernalia that are of a political, offensive, and/or discriminatory nature” within stadiums. FIFA did not immediately respond to inquiries regarding the incident.
Historical Context of the Dispute
The sovereignty of the islands, known as the Falklands to the British and the Malvinas to the Argentinians, has been a long-standing point of contention between the two nations. A brief conflict over the islands took place in 1982, resulting in the deaths of 649 Argentinian soldiers and 255 British soldiers. Three residents of the islands also died during the 74-day conflict, which occurred from April to June 1982.
Britain ultimately prevailed in the conflict, and the majority of the islands’ residents have expressed a desire to remain part of Britain. However, Argentina maintains that it inherited the islands from Spain after its independence in 1816 and that Britain’s control, established in 1833, was an illegal colonial act. The islands are a British overseas territory located approximately 300 miles off Argentina’s east coast in the south-west Atlantic Ocean.
This is not the first instance of Argentina facing repercussions for such displays. In 2014, the Argentine Football Association was fined £20,000 by FIFA after its players held a banner with the same message before a friendly match against Slovenia. FIFA had then stated that the gesture violated rules concerning political actions and team misconduct.
Player Actions and Official Reactions
Players Lisandro Martinez and Giovani Lo Celso were seen holding the banner and waving to fans in the stands after the match. The origin of the banner within the stadium was not immediately clear. This incident follows previous instances during the World Cup where political banners have been displayed, such as Iranian Americans waving pre-revolutionary flags during matches involving Iran in Los Angeles, which proceeded without incident.
Following Argentina’s victory, Vice-President Victoria Villarruel posted on social media, stating that it was “not just another match” and reiterating, “The Falklands are Argentine.” She added that while bringing such banners to the stadium might be banned, the sentiment is deeply ingrained. Before the semi-final, Villarruel had also commented that the match was “about putting the invaders in their place.”
In the lead-up to the match, Argentina‘s manager, Lionel Scaloni, had expressed his reluctance to mix football and politics. He stated that the reality was a football match and that he could not mix things, especially out of respect for the events of many years ago, calling it a very sad period in history. Scaloni emphasised that while they remember those people, it is a football match and the two should not be confused.
Despite Scaloni‘s comments, Argentina players had also sung chants referencing the Falklands, along with football greats Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi, after their 3-2 win against Egypt in the last 16. The semi-final itself, which England lost due to late goals from Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez, was played under heightened security measures due to the historical tensions between the two nations.
The Argentina team is now set to play Spain in the final on Sunday.
Source: aljazeera.com
