"Will never be seen as Swedish"

Loui Sand made his debut in the national handball team in 2012 and then also played his first championship tournament.

Until 2019, Loui Sand belonged to one of the big stars in the team - but chose the same year to stop playing handball and start an investigation for gender dysphoria.

In SVT's program series Blue Yellow Heroes, he draws attention to racism in sports, where he openly states that he has never felt seen as Swedish.

- I have never been seen as Swedish in this society.

I work so hard to be accepted in this society.

But it will never happen.

There is a difference between being fair-skinned in Swedish sports, versus being dark-skinned.

- It can, among other things, be about how a coach treats you.

If we have physique and I take out my max, for example, I can never get red in the face, and it does not matter how tired I am, it is physically impossible for me to get red in the face, he says.

He also tells about an event in connection with an international match in 2012 that attracted unexpectedly much attention.

Loui Sand sent a live greeting to his brother who turned one, while the national anthem was being played.

- I feel nothing for the Swedish national anthem at all. I'm sick of being here. I behave, I have a job, I make good money and all that. But I will never ever be seen as Swedish here. And then I can not relate to the Swedish national anthem, says Loui Sand.