Argentinean Armenian Community Thanks San Lorenzo's President for Rejecting Azerbaijani Sponsorship

Matias Lammens, president of the Buenos Aires football club San Lorenzo de Almagro, was recognized by the Armenian community on October 31 for rejecting Azerbaijan sponsorship of his club.

"I am very pleased that San Lorenzo could be a pioneer in saying no to a budget offering, in saying that not everything can be bought, that not everything can be sold,” Lammens told Armenian community representatives and leaders of other football clubs.

Lammens provided details of the Azerbaijani officials’ approach in Madrid and Argentina, who were ready to pay from 3-4 million euros to sponsor the club, on the condition that "there could not be ethnic Armenians in the executive committee of the club" either now or in the future. Interestingly, Matias Patanian is second vice-president of River Plate and Noray Nakis, first vice-president of Independiente.

Azerbaijan had made failed attempts to disembark in South America through Peñarol of Montevideo and Independiente of Buenos Aires. The country already sponsors the Spanish club Atlético de Madrid, which will receive 12 million dollars for a year and a half of sponsorship.

"Sometimes the power of money tries to trample on history, because Nagorno Karabakh was an Armenian territory until 1917. It is surprising how money occupies such an important place in our society and steps over issues of history and identity," said Lammens.

He also expressed his admiration for the Armenian community because "they are great activists and have always passed on from generation to generation the Armenian cause for genocide recognition. It seems incredible that only twenty countries have recognized the genocide after almost a hundred years."