Argentine sportsmen and women, “Nueva Argentina’s best ambassadors” (1946-1955)
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In 1948, the President of the Argentine Republic Juan Perón proclaimed that sportsmen and women were the country’s “best ambassadors”. This declaration became a key argument to justify the governmental support given to top athletes. This article examines the gradual integration of athletes into the regime’s diplomatic agenda. Confronted with widespread hostility from the international community, the Peronist government tried to use sport to break its isolation and improve its image abroad. From the example of the Olympic delegations and the system of “State amateurs”, this article explores the transformation of athletes into national representatives and advocates of Peronism, sent as special agents abroad.
Réseaux sociaux