New coming out in sport
Villads Raahauge Jensen, a talented young Danish handball player, recently came out and received warm support from his teammates.
He plays professionally in Denmark, Norway and Sweden and currently plays for Lugi HF (a team in the Swedish second division).
Lugi HF, based in the southern Swedish city of Lund, may be a long way off the European handball circuit, but they attract around 2,000 spectators to their home ground, the Sparbanken Skåne Arena.
Villads Raahauge Jensen shared his story on Instagram, expressing his initial fears about how others would react.
“I’ve been thinking about posting this for a long time and wondering if this is the right way to come out. But there’s probably no right or wrong way“.
In an interview with the Sydsvenskan newspaper, the Danish player said he didn’t want anyone to think he was ashamed of being gay, noting that while the subject is still taboo in sport, it is important to be open and honest.