Argentina's president, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, will not attend any event at the London 2012 Olympics, a move interpreted as a "diplomatic snub".
Although 140 Argentinian athletes are expected to compete in 28 events in the Olympic Games, the nation's leader will not be seen supporting from the stands.
The Argentine embassy told the Independent that the outspoken President would not be attending the Games, but did not confirm whether her absence was meant to be deliberately provocative.
Her decision comes amidst escalating tension over the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands.
Argentina's president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner demanded talks over the islands sovereignty in June
There have long been concerns that Argentina would use the games as a "platform for politics" on the 30th anniversary of the Falklands conflict.
A senior Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) source told The Sunday Times in June: "We are concerned that Argentina will use the Olympics as an opportunity for protests about the Falklands and have been looking into what we can do.
"They seem determined to push their case at every opportunity."
Kirchner will not be cheering from the stands and is not attending the Olympic opening ceremony
An Argentine advert showing an athlete training on a British war memorial the Falklands provoked outrage earlier this year. It shows Argentina hockey captain Fernando Zylberberg running in the Falklands capital, Port Stanley, underneath the slogan "to compete on English soil, we train on Argentine soil.”
After the 90 second clip went viral, Foreign Secretary William Hague said: "I don't think trying to misuse the Olympics in some way for political purposes will go down very well with other countries.
"Of course, it doesn't change our position on the Falkland Islands. We will always support the right to self-determination of the people of the Falkland Islands."
At Mexico's G20 summit, tensions were clearly visible after Kirchner tried to hand David Cameron documents claiming the Falklands should belong to Argentina. However Cameron refused to accept them.
In June, on the 30th anniversary of the end of the conflict, Kirchner called the British sovereignty of the islands an "affront to the world."
She said the British government should feel "shame" for flying the Falklands flag, telling the UN: “When I looked today at 10 Downing Street and saw them and what they were doing with the flag which they call the Falkland Islands flag, I felt shame from afar for them because wars are not to be celebrated nor are they to be commemorated. Do you know why? Because many people lost their lives.”
Cameron responded at the annual Falkland Islands government reception in London. He told guests: "when it comes to the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands, there will be absolutely no negotiation."