The country's badminton team claimed in a social media post today that Argentina, who are not even playing in the tournament which starts in Brazil tomorrow, are putting pressure on them to pull out of the competition.

In a Twitter message the Falkland Islands Badminton account writes: "We have a team in Salvador de Bahia, Brazil, ready to compete in the Badminton Pan Am Male and Female Cup which starts tomorrow.

"Unfortunately Argentina are putting a significant amount of pressure on our Falkland Islands team to either pull out of the tournament or play under the Islas Malvinas.

"Our chairman Doug Clark is with the team and has met with the Pan Am President [Vishu Tolan] and the tournament organisers.

"He has informed them that we do not give in to bullies and that we will not be withdrawing and we will not be playing as Malvinas.

"Argentina are putting pressure on Brazil to pull the entire tournament if we do not give in to their demands.

"The draw for the tournament is due to take place tomorrow.

"The Badminton World Federation say that badminton players and teams from BWF Member Associations have the right to participate in BWF sanctioned tournaments.

"This right to participation is clean in our regulations particularly article 7.6 which states that for BWF sanctioned tournaments a player shall not have his/her entry refused for reasons of gender, sexual orientation, race, religion or politics.

"Please share this everywhere and stand with us - we do not give in to bullies."

The term Malvinas is the Spanish name for the Falkland Islands.

Tensions between Argentina and the Falkland Islands date back to 1833, when Britain seized the islands from Argentina who had previously claimed sovereignty over them.

The two countries fought a war over the issue in 1982.