The Governor of Santa Fe, Maximiliano Pullaro, welcomed the Argentine men’s national hockey team on Thursday at the Salón Blanco in Rosario, where he appointed ‘Los Leones’ as ambassadors for the 13th South American Games, Santa Fe 2026. The delegation is currently in Rosario preparing for its participation in the World Cup in the Netherlands and Belgium, which begins on 15 August. Furthermore, during their stay in Rosario, the team is taking part in activities as part of the ‘No Garpa’ (It doesn’t pay) programme, promoted by Santa Fe Lottery to prevent illegal gambling.
A tribute to sport and its values
The appointment aims to have the national team help promote the biggest sporting event in the province’s history. As ambassadors, Los Leones embody values such as discipline, respect, hard work and the spirit of overcoming challenges, whilst also helping to spread the legacy that the Games will leave in Santa Fe.
During the ceremony, the Secretary for Institutional Management, Federico Angelini, emphasised that “field hockey is one of the greatest sources of pride in Argentine sport. Both Las Leonas and Los Leones have left their mark on an entire generation. I have no doubt that the legacy they will leave behind will encourage thousands of young people to take up the sport”.
Regarding the organisation of the South American Games, he added that “it is very important for us to host this competition, with events taking place in Rosario, Santa Fe and Rafaela. The province has made a huge investment to bring this project to fruition and today we can confirm that we will be hosting South America’s most important sporting event”.
The Lions are currently holding a training camp in Rosario as part of their preparations for the Hockey World Cup, which will take place in August in Belgium and the Netherlands. Before travelling to Europe, the national team is undertaking a week of training sessions and activities in the city.
In this context, the chief executive of the Santa Fe Social Welfare Fund and Lottery, Daniel Di Lena, thanked “the coaches and the entire squad for choosing Santa Fe as the venue for this pre-World Cup training camp”.
“It doesn’t pay”, a campaign to prevent illegal gambling
During their stay in Rosario, the players take part in awareness-raising talks aimed at teenagers on the risks of illegal gambling and gambling addiction.
Di Lena particularly praised this commitment: “I would like to thank you for taking part in these prevention activities, in addition to the training sessions and sports clinics. Gambling addiction is an issue that concerns and preoccupies us. In Argentina, one in four teenagers aged between 12 and 17 admits to having placed illegal bets. That is why it is so valuable that role models like you can get this message across.”
Infrastructure for hosting international sport
For his part, Los Leones’ assistant coach, Lucas Cammareri, highlighted the province’s sporting infrastructure: “It’s always a pleasure to come to Rosario. We’re given a very warm welcome and we really enjoy this city. It’s truly impressive to find such top-class sporting infrastructure here. An extraordinary tournament is on the horizon, and the fact that Santa Fe is hosting a competition of this magnitude is a source of pride.”
Cammareri also expressed the team’s enthusiasm at being part of the promotional campaign for the 2026 South American Games in Santa Fe, which will take place between 12 and 26 September in Rosario, Santa Fe and Rafaela.
Also in attendance at the meeting were Los Leones’ head coach, Lucas Rey; captains Maico Casella and Thomas Habif; the Secretary for Sport and Tourism at Rosario City Council, Alejandra Mateos; and members of the Games’ organising team.
