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Summary Argentine soccer club 'Lanus' puts a map of the Falkland Islands on its soccer jersey.
Amid escalating tensions between Britain and Argentina over the disputed Falkland Islands, an Argentine soccer club unveiled new jerseys Wednesday (February 15) adorned with an emblem featuring a map of the South Atlantic islands reading Las Malvinas as they are known in Argentina.The Lanus soccer team took the field at their home stadium just outside capital Buenos Aires amid cheering fans in their first match of the South American club championship known as the Copa Libertadores against Brazilian club Flamengo.The president of the Lanus Athletic Club, Nicolas Ruso, said the emblems are to commemorate the upcoming 30th anniversary of the Falklands War.For us it is something special to commemorate 30 years of something historic which is the Malvinas War, Ruso said.Britain and Argentina fought a 10-week war over the Falkland Islands in 1982 after Argentina invaded the South Atlantic islands, which Argentines call Las Malvinas.Lanus player Matias Lionel Fritzler said he supported the badges saying Argentines should remember and honour those who fought in the war.It is definitely something important for all Argentines. It is a piece of land that we know has always belonged to Argentina. A lot of people were killed, maybe without reason, and well, it is important that it stays in our minds and memories, Fritzler said.Long-standing diplomatic tensions over the islands have bubbled up in recent months. Argentina has been angered by oil exploration in the Falklands by British companies and Britains decision to send one of its most sophisticated warships on patrol in the area.London has refused to start talks on sovereignty with Buenos Aires unless the 3,000 islanders want them.
