Danish handball player Villads Raahauge Jensen comes out

Danish professional handball player Villads Raahauge Jensen, who has competed in Europe’s top leagues, has publicly announced he is gay, stating his teammates have “received positively” his news, according to ‘Out Sports’.

Villads Raahauge Jensen, a 28-year-old Danish attacking player, currently plays for Lugi HF in Sweden's second-tier Allsvenskan league. He shared his coming-out message on Instagram alongside a childhood photo, declaring, “I am gay.” Jensen wrote, “Three words that in reality should be easy to say, but which for many years I’ve been afraid to be open about. I’ve been thinking of posting a post like this for a long time, and have been thinking if this was the right way to come out. But there is probably no right or wrong way.”

Standing 6 feet 4 inches tall, the pivot was born in Copenhagen and initially played for Ajax in his hometown before moving on to other Danish clubs. He later played for OV Helsingborg in Sweden, then Haslum in Norway, returning to the Swedish elite league with Lugi in March 2024. The team was relegated last season.

According to Omni, Jensen texted his Lugi teammates to discuss something personal after practice, and they responded with support. “Everyone was supportive, giving him high fives and pats on the back,” the website reported.

In an interview with Sydsvenskan, Jensen emphasised, “I don’t want anyone to think that I’m ashamed of being gay, because that’s not the case. But it is a taboo in sports.”

Handball is popular throughout continental Europe, with major clubs linked to well-known soccer teams. Barcelona are the reigning European men’s handball champions, and Paris Saint-Germain has been a strong competitor in recent seasons. Lugi HF, based in Lund, southern Sweden, draws about 2,000 fans to their Sparbanken Skåne Arena.

In his Instagram post, Jensen, who also hosts a podcast about handball, admitted worries about reactions from those in the sport upon learning of his sexuality. “Those who know me, also know that handball has always been my number one priority in every aspect of my life,” he wrote. He expressed fears about how people might view him differently, pondering whether “they look at me any different? Would they think I was wrong? Would I no longer be a part of the team, in the same way I was before?”

Despite concerns, Jensen found his coming out was met with positivity. He reflected, “In many ways, I wish I had had the courage to jump out sooner, and when I told the club and my teammates last week, it was obviously only received positively.” Although his close friends and family were already aware, he acknowledged the fear in revealing something kept secret for so long.

Jensen hopes his announcement can help others and serve as a role model in sports. “I sincerely hope that you’ll still see me exactly as the person I’ve always been. Because yes I’m gay, but also so much more than that. I’m still just Villads.”

Lugi HK supported Jensen’s announcement in a Facebook post, calling him “strong and unique.”

Previously, other handball players, like Norwegian Ola Hoftun Lillelien and Danish Jacob Bjørn Hessellund, publicly came out as gay, advocating for LGBTQ+ rights in sports. German player Lucas Krzikalla also announced his sexuality via a documentary. Although there have been no openly gay athletes in Olympic men’s handball, there have been several in women’s tournaments, including at least six as part of Team LGBTQ+ at Paris 2024.