Police break up party attended by Brazil internationals
Party organiser and music businessman Eduardo Bastos has denied an angry neighbour's claim that "an Uber arrived with prositutes every five minutes".
While Neymar remains in hospital undergoing tests for an ankle injury sustained against Qatar on Wednesday, his Brazil team mates enjoyed a day off ahead of their Copa América campaign.
But some of them have found themselves in the headlines for all the wrong reasons, after they attended a lavish party held in the home of music businessman Eduardo Bastos.
Police had to be called in to break up the celebration in the early hours of Friday morning after receiving complaints from neighbours about the noise.
The players in attendance reportedly tried to cover their faces as they hastily left the party to avoid being recognized. But four partygoers and members of the Brazil national team, Gabriel Jesus, Firmino, Felipe Anderson and Miranda, were identified by Brazil news outlets, G1 and Metropoles.
Prostitutes arrived "every five minutes", claims neighbour
One neighbour spoke to Metropoles, saying: “The music was really loud and it woke all the neighbours. An Uber arrived with prostitutes every five minutes. Thank God the police finally arrived. They’re our heroes.”
Party organiser, Bastos, who delivered a box of wines to all of the surrounding neighbours as a form of apology, has denied that the women in attendance were prostitutes.
“They were friends and girlfriends of the guests. It was a mistake and it will be a long time before I organise a party like this again,” said Bastos, an agent of well-known Brazilian rapper Hungría and singer Felipe, who were also at the party.
Brazil federation statement
Meanwhile the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) has steered clear of the incident, saying what the players do in their own free time is their own business.
"The players were on a free day that was programmed into the national team schedule. What they do in their time away from camp is a private matter," stated the CBF.
But with the current controversies surrounding Neymar over the rape allegations against him, there is no doubt that the CBF would have preferred to avoid more negative press surrounding their players ahead of the Copa América, which kicks off in Brazil on June 15.