The video shows Zylberberg (pictured above and below), a member of the Argentinian team that won the Champions Challenge trophy in 2005 and 2007, training on several landmarks on the Islands, which are owned by Britain, for this summer's Olympic Games in London.

The two countries fought a war 30-years-ago over the islands, and in the advert Zylberberg trains outside the Falklands' most popular pub, The Globe Tavern, and sprints past the Penguin News, the Islands' paper.

The closing slogan of the ad is "To compete on English soil, we train on Argentine soil".

It has been labelled as "cheap propaganda" by Falkland Islands Legislative Assembly member Ian Hansen.

Argentina claims sovereignty over what it calls 'Las Islas Malvinas'.

The advert has even prompted criticism from Buenos Aires paper La Nación, which alleges that it is a stunt by President Cristina Kirchner's Government.

It was aired on the 30th anniversary of the sinking of Argentine ship, the General Belgrano, during that war.

Argentina has already used the Olympic and Paralympics to claim sovereignty of the Islands.

In February, a Bill in Argentina's Parliament proposed to include an image of the Islands on their Olympic clothing.


A British Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokeswoman said: "We are saddened at this attempt by Argentina to exploit the Games.

"The Olympics is about sport and not politics.

"We are also dismayed at the insensitivity and disrespect demonstrated by the filmmakers in their use of a war memorial in the Falklands as a prop.

"The people of the Falklands are British and have chosen to be so.

"They remain free to chose their own futures both politically and economically and have a right to self-determination.

"There are three parties to this debate, not just two as Argentina likes to pretend.

"The islanders just can't be written out of history."

Speaking to the radio station Cadena 3, Zylberberg said: "The idea was to get the message through that the Malvinas are Argentine.

"I spent a whole week running on the island.

"It was an incredible experience because we were surrounded by [Argentine] war veterans."

Political tension has been mounting in recent months between Argentina and Britain over the Islands as the 30th anniversary of the war drew closer.

To watch the video click here. 

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]