Buenos Aires: The head of the Argentine Football Association has apologised for the publication of a World Cup manual that included advice on how to woo Russian women.

The advice, which has been condemned as sexist, was part of a course entitled ‘Language and Russian Culture – Thinking of the World Cup’ and included the tips, ‘Be clean, Don’t be negative and Don’t treat women as objects’.

‘An internal investigation ... concluded that part of the material was printed in error. It does not reflect the thinking of the Argentine Football Association (AFA), nor its president Claudio Tapia, nor any of its directors,’ the association said in a statement.

Tapia visited Russia House, a cultural institute, in Buenos Aires on Wednesday to personally apologise for the gaffe.

News reports said the information had been presented to players, AFA staff and media earlier this week at a special forum on how to prepare for the World Cup.

More than 40,000 Argentines have bought tickets for matches in the tournament that kicks off in Moscow on June 14.

Two-time winners of the World Cup, Argentina have been drawn to play Iceland, Nigeria and Croatia.