World Cup
FIFA 2014 World Cup Shuterstock

As Brazil hosts the 2014 FIFA World Cup for the first time since 1950, human rights advocates have a message for all the players of the 32 teams: If you're gay, come out.

Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pillay spoke in Geneva on equality in sports, saying that it is "a shame, in this day and age" that people "had to hide who they really are."

"I encourage players, sports people to declare their sexual orientation without fear," said Pillay to reporters in Geneva. "That's the only way they will find the right to sexual orientation accepted. They are role models, it's important to send this message to their fans as well."

Additionally, Pillay stressed that countries bidding to host major sporting events should be more aware and thoughtful of how their bids will be impacted.

"They risk becoming hubs of human rights violations, including misuse of public funds, child labor, forced evictions, and demolition and the sexual exploitation of human beings including children in the surge of tourism," Pillay said. "Sporting events should celebrate the joy of human potential, not generate pain and abuse."

Her case can be supported by the concern surrounding the current and future World Cup. Spanish international development NGO InspirAction estimates that the 2014 World Cup will cost over $13.7 billion and the Pew Research Center has found in a survey that 72 percent of Brazilians are dissatisfied with the way things are going in their country. What's more, six out of ten (61 percent) of Brazilians believe hosting the event is bad for the country, as it will take money away from public services, health care and schools and a mere 34 percent believe the World Cup will have a positive effect on the economy by creating jobs.

Meanwhile, the 2022 World Cup is slated to take place in Qatar, which is being accused of massive human rights abuses and the Sunday Times Of London alleges that Qatari billionaire Mohamed bin Hammam paid millions of dollars in bribes to buy the votes to host the international sporting event. Not to mention, homosexuality is illegal in Qatar, making the upcoming World Cup a potentially dangerous one for gay fans and players.

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