Argentina apologise for World Cup guide to flirting with Russian women

Posted Thursday, May 17, 2018 by ESPN

Argentina apologise for World Cup guide to flirting with Russian women
The badge of the Argentina Football Association Juan Mabromata/AFP/Getty Images

The Argentina Football Association (AFA) has apologised for an "involuntary error" that led to including a chapter on how to seduce Russian women in a manual they distributed ahead of the World Cup.

At a course entitled "Russian Language and Culture," presented by Russian language teacher Eduardo Pennisi at AFA's headquarters in Buenos Aires on Tuesday, World Cup-bound executives, players, coaches and journalists saw a page titled "What to do to have an opportunity with a Russian woman."

Those in attendance were asked during the seminar to return the manuals before they were redistributed with the controversial pages removed.

The AFA opened an investigation and on Wednesday issued a statement which said: "The Department of Education of the Argentina Football Association announces that after an internal investigation carried out with respect to what happened yesterday during a course on Russian language and culture, we have concluded that part of the material given was erroneously printed.

"The teacher in charge of the course selected information to give to those in attendance but unfortunately, when printing it, due to an involuntary error, he included the text that was never a part of the course.

"Having notified the personnel of the department, we proceeded to have it immediately removed. We lament that such mistake has overshadowed what was important on the date...

"We express our most sincere apologies to those that were affected by the publication which in no way reflects the thinking of the Argentina Football Association, nor of its president Claudio Tapia or any of its executives."

La historia del manual escandaloso de la AFA y el profesor que lo defiende https://t.co/o0LqEi1Emo pic.twitter.com/A0M10wIg6x
— Clarín Deportes (@Clarin_deportes) May 16, 2018

Clarin tweeted a photograph of the controversial pages while Pennisi told Clarin that the AFA approved the manual, which he authored, and that the section was not written with bad intentions.

"Russian ladies like men who take initiative," read one entry. "If you don't have confidence in yourself then you need to practice speaking with many women."

Another read: "Normally, Russian women pay attention to important things, but of course, you will find women who pay attention to material things -- on money, if you are attractive, what you tell them. Do no worry. There are many beautiful women in Russia and not all of them are for you. Be selective."