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Russian teams have been suspended from European
and FIFA competitions since Moscow launched what it calls a
"special military operation" in Ukraine last February.
The Tajikistan Football Federation (TFF) said on Monday Russia
has been invited to CAFA's inaugural men's tournament scheduled
for June 9 to 21 along with its six member nations and another
country, which is yet to be confirmed.
CAFF is part of the AFC and was formed in 2014. It comprises the
national federations of Afghanistan, Iran, Kyrgyzstan,
Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
The TFF added Russia had already accepted the invitation, but
the country's football federation (RFU) told news agency TASS
that the possibility and conditions of the team's participation
were being discussed.
AFC and CAFA did not immediately respond to requests for
comment.
Regional competitions, such as the Copa America in South
America, often invite guest countries from outside the
federation to tournaments.
The Russian Under-17 women's team will participate in the South
Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship from March 20 to
28.
Switching from the UEFA to Asia's 47-nation confederation had
been touted by RFU chief Aleksander Dyukov as a possible option
to allow the Russian national teams and clubs continued
international competition.
The men's team played three friendlies last year, against
Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. They are scheduled to
face Iran and Iraq this month.
Most international sports federations have excluded athletes
from Russia and its ally Belarus since the invasion of Ukraine,
but some are now starting to allow them back into competition.
(Reporting by Hritika Sharma in Bengaluru; Editing by Jamie
Freed)
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