AFC president Mohamed bin Hammam has requested a temporary lifting of the suspension handed to the Kuwait Football Association.

It would allow the Gulf nation to play in the Asian Cup qualifiers next month.

The Kuwait FA was originally suspended by FIFA for government interference in October 2007.

Although that ban was lifted conditionally a month later, it was reactivated two months ago after the world governing body expressed dissatisfaction with the KFA's failure to hold general assembly elections.

Hammam accepted the need to punish the association for its failure to adhere to FIFA's ruling but spoke out on behalf of its national team.

"Being President of the Confederation I would like to practice my duty to protect the game and footballers in Kuwait," he said in a letter to FIFA president Sepp Blatter.

"I see it now as a duty to request that FIFA lifts the suspension temporarily to allow Kuwait to take part in competitions which are taking place in the near future, including the Gulf Cup and the Asian Cup qualifiers."