Argentina Hockey player training on British War memorial .. wait, what.

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**Morathi's Darkest Sin**

Argentina has politicised the London Olympics over its Falkland Islands' sovereignty claim by making a television advert of one of its athletes training there, on what it calls "Argentine soil".
President Cristina Fernandez Kirchner's government released the television advert linking the Games to its demand to rule the South Atlantic islands.

The 90-second commercial shows Olympic hopeful Fernando Zylberberg training in the Falklands.

The advert was filmed with a handheld camera and shows the 35-year-old Argentine hockey player training outside a typical pub, the Globe Tavern.

The footage also shows Zylberberg running past the offices of the local newspaper, the Penguin News, and an iconic red British telephone box.

Reportedly created by the US-based Young & Rubicam advertising agency, it was shot early in the morning and no islanders can be seen in the footage.

The glossy advert, filmed beneath rolling grey clouds, also uses rousing music for dramatic effect.

It finishes with the slogan, "To compete on English soil, we are training on Argentine soil".

It adds that it is a "tribute to the fallen and ex-combatants" of the 1982 Falklands War.

The advert was screened on several Argentine TV stations on Wednesday night to coincide with the the 30th anniversary of the torpedo attack on the cruiser General Belgrano by a British nuclear-powered submarine during the conflict.

"This is going to generate international repercussions," one official said.

Senator Anibal Fernandez tweeted: "Very good advert about the Malvinas and the Olympics", using the Argentine name for the archipelago.

The Argentine government did not say how the commercial was filmed or whether they had permission to shoot in the Falklands.

But the stunt may backfire as many Argentinians were highly critical of the advert.

One wrote on the website of newspaper La Nacion: "This advert seems to me to show a lack of respect for the soldiers who died in the Malvinas and what our claims to sovereignty mean. Will winning medals at the Olympics make us feel closer to the islands?

"It is a disgrace and a game aimed at submerging people in greater ignorance."

Another wrote: "A tribute to who? People on both sides died in this absurd war."

And another joked: "At least on the islands they won't steal his trainers and tracksuit at gunpoint!"

Zylberberg is a member of the men's hockey team and will be competing in his third Olympics after previously taking part in Sydney in 2000 and Athens in 2004.

Link here to the Video on Sky news.

Thoughts?

**TheRobotLol**

Oi bled. Dats our land ya get me?

**Morathi's Darkest Sin**

Oh and I should note, although they aren't showing a pic of it on the site, the title references the fact he is shown for a moment doing some kind of step based excercise off the steps of the British war memorial there.

**ArbeitsSchu**

Reminds me of youtube videos for Urban Exploration. Any minute now the landlord of that pub is going to come out and shout 'OI, GERROF THAT BENCH.' and chase the cheeky beggar away. Rightfully so.

**Hazardous Harry**

And another joked: "At least on the islands they won't steal his trainers and tracksuit at gunpoint!"

**mattyrm**

The Argentinians are burning effigies of William, lighting flags, shouting, stomping and throwing things, banning trade, harassing the islanders and are attempting to bully their neighbours.

The Islanders and the British are being typically quiet and cracking on with their lives.

I know who looks the most dignified.

Dignity aside, If they try anything again I will rejoin 40 commando and personally hog tie that poor mans Maggie Thatcher who is running things over there, before bending her over my knee and slapping her arse with a flip flop on national television.

**Henners91**

Whatever happened to the days when such offence would be greeted with punitive measures in the form of a gunboat sailing up Buenos Aires guns-a-blazin'?

EDIT:

Alternate embedded link

Spoiler:

**Hazardous Harry**

mattyrm wrote:
Dignity aside, If they try anything again I will rejoin 40 commando and personally hog tie that poor mans Maggie Thatcher who is running things over there, before bending her over my knee and slapping her arse with a flip flop on national television.

Great, now I have to buy more tissues.

**Tibbsy**

Henners91 wrote:Whatever happened to the days when such offence would be greeted with punitive measures in the form of a gunboat sailing up Buenos Aires guns-a-blazin'?

We haven't done that because we've run out of boats

Also - Matty, you never fail to make me laugh

**Medium of Death**

I was going to rage at this, but then I watched the video and saw that it was piss poor...

It's hilarious that they call it Argentinian soil as they run through what looks like a quintessentially English coastal town.

Oh Argentina, you so troll.

**Orlanth**

Half of me wants to see him banned from entry to the UK. The other half recognises that not doing so is one of the many reasons we are better than Argentina.

The Argies try to politicise sport at every opportunity. Last time it was the Argentina football association boss who said that he would only vote for the UK to hold the World Cup if the islands were 'returned'.

**Kilkrazy**

Orlanth wrote:Half of me wants to see him banned from entry to the UK. The other half recognises that not doing so is one of the many reasons we are better than Argentina.

The Argies try to politicise sport at every opportunity. Last time it was the Argentina football association boss who said that he would only vote for the UK to hold the World Cup if the islands were 'returned'.

I don't think we need to. He'll be kept waiting in Immigration at Heathrow for long enough anyway.

Orlanth wrote:The other half recognises that not doing so is one of the many reasons we are better than Argentina.

Word.

To be fair to the Argentines, a lot of them think this advert was a PoS. It's just the government riling up a discontented underclass with petty nationalism in order to deflect criticism about their otherwise lacklustre performance. Sensible people aren't being taken in.

**Orlanth**

I really like the official response from the Falklands Islands government, well written and though provoking. Its nice to see that the representatives for the Islanders are showing twice the dignity and sense that the Argentines are showing:

"It is deeply sad to see Mr Zylberberg clambering over a war memorial, especially in this anniversary year. Sadly, this illustrates the disrespect the Argentine authorities have for our home and our people. Unsurprisingly, at no stage does the video feature any Falkland Islanders – a clear reflection of Argentina’s policy, which is to pretend that the people of the Falkland Islands do not exist. It is time the world took note – we do exist, and as with all people we have rights, which the Argentine Government is trying to deny us. We are our own people, who through nine generations have lived and worked in these islands for nearly 200 years."

**mattyrm**

Orlanth wrote:Half of me wants to see him banned from entry to the UK. The other half recognises that not doing so is one of the many reasons we are better than Argentina.

The Argies try to politicise sport at every opportunity. Last time it was the Argentina football association boss who said that he would only vote for the UK to hold the World Cup if the islands were 'returned'.

Exactly. Dont go down the banning road, the Argies are acting like savages. In civilised places we sue each other.

In scrubber country's they chop each other up.

Who do the Argies remind me of?

Thats right. fething Iraqis.

I suggest we remain stereotypically British and remain smugly silent like this.

Well, unless they invade again obviously.

Then we shall crush them.

**RossDas**

So: did they succeed in renaming their football league "The Crucero General Belgrano First Division"? I think there was some dispute over whether subs would be allowed.

**Hazardous Harry**

mattyrm wrote:
*snip*

Riiiight.

**Henners91**

mattyrm wrote: Thats right. fething Iraqis.

Iraqis just continue a proud British tradition.

Yeees, burn Fawksey! We shan't tolerate your popery here!

**Electro**

mattyrm wrote:
I suggest we remain stereotypically British and remain smugly silent like this.

WRONG!

A propper British gentleman should have a pipe, and prefrably a suitably natty 'tash.

If your going to make comments like that at least get your facts right man! Next you'll show someone drinking coffee... I mean coffee for fecks sake? Real men drink tea, or bitter.

**Henners91**

True British gentleman:

**purplefood**

RossDas wrote:So: did they succeed in renaming their football league "The Crucero General Belgrano First Division"? I think there was some dispute over whether subs would be allowed.

That.
Is.
Genius...

**Castiel**

Like they would ever actually do anything.
We have more military power in the cub scouts than they do in their entire armed forces.

**Henners91**

It's not the military we should fear; they have a lot of sympathy from their continental fellows.

**purplefood**

Henners91 wrote:It's not the military we should fear; they have a lot of sympathy from their continental fellows.

Even then...
I couldn't see it ending well for anyone...

**Henners91**

Well, 'the waiting game' is skewed against us given the ascendancy of the South American economies, surely.

I can't speculate with any authority, but surely it's a no-brainer that within 200 years we'll be unable to compete?

One also has to ask if the Falklands are worth the money.

I'm of the opinion that the government is obligated to protect its subjects by any means necessary; since the very reason we surrender our personal rights to governance is because we expect security of our lives, property and rights in return. But despite these principles, one must ask if it would be ridiculous if it got to the stage where a huge portion of the defence budget was going toward defending 4,000 people.

Then again, there is oil..

**purplefood**

In 200 years?
I doubt any of us will care...
I know a lot of people don't particularly have strong feelings concerning the Crimean War.
It's not like our defense budget is really needed for anything else right now and this is probably a better use than guarding a sand dune in the Middle East...

**Henners91**

Aye, and I don't know... unlike the Middle East this brings out more 'primal' feelings in me... indignation is the only word I can say.

I can finally empathise with the proles who would take to the streets demanding war every time an insult was published in 19th century newspapers.

**Palindrome**

This will all fizzle out. The Argentinians don't have a strong claim, they really don't want a repeat of the first falklands (while the UK will have severe difficulties mounting a counter invasion the garrison is much stronger today) and most importantly the islanders want to stay British.

**Orlanth**

Henners91 wrote:

One also has to ask if the Falklands are worth the money.

Well we can always save money by removing your human rights, take away your home and your job and tell you to feth off elsewhere.

You wouldnt like that wouldnt you.
Not happening to the islanders either.

Human rights are not just for terrorists and gangsters with expensive lawyers, sometimes people who deserve them get them too.

**purplefood**

Palindrome wrote:This will all fizzle out. The Argentinians don't have a strong claim, they really don't want a repeat of the first falklands (although the UK will have severe difficulties mounting a counter invasion) and most importantly the islanders want to stay British.

True, though whether that would motivate anyone to stop them is another question.
The Argentinians would have more trouble invading in the first place...

**Palindrome**

Orlanth wrote:
Henners91 wrote:

One also has to ask if the Falklands are worth the money.

Well we can always save money by removing your human rights, take away your home and your job and tell you to feth off elsewhere.

You wouldnt like that wouldnt you.
Not happening to the islanders either.

Human rights are not just for terrorists and gangsters with expensive lawyers, sometimes people who deserve them get them too.

It happened to the inhabitants of Diego Garcia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depopulation_of_Diego_Garcia.