The Brazilian national soccer team wants to be paid $4 million for holding its training camp in Hiroshima in advance of the 2002 World Cup finals, according to people involved in inviting foreign national teams to train in the city.
Hiroshima, which has been eliminated as a venue for the 2002 World Cup finals, has launched a vigorous campaign to invite a favorite World Cup champion to train in the city and wants to play host to the four-time world champion.
According to sources familiar with the campaign, an agent for the Brazilian national team presented the fee demand through the Hiroshima soccer federation last weekend.
The federation has suggested paying $1.5 million, but the Hiroshima World Cup camp bidding committee on Tuesday rejected any payment from public money.
The prospect of the Brazilian national team holding their training camp in Japan is slim as the Brazilians have been selected to play the World Cup preliminaries in South Korea.
The 2002 World Cup finals, the first to take place in Asia, will be cohosted by Japan and South Korea, running from May 31 through June 30.